2015 Bar Admission Information & Ceremonies

2015 Bar Admission Information & Ceremonies

10/22/15

The results of the July 2015 bar exam were mailed to applicants on Wednesday, October 21, 2015. View the notice on the Board of Law Examiners' website.

To Become a Member of the State Bar of Michigan

Pass Bar ExamWe have provided these helpful steps for you to follow after you have received your certified results from the Board of Law Examiners indicating a passing score on the Michigan bar exam or certification through reciprocity with another state:

Step 1. Appear and present Board of Law Examiners certification, sent by mail, at a mass swearing-in ceremony or to one of the circuit courts of the state. For a complete list of the swearing-in ceremonies, visit www.michbar.org. Upon motion made in open court by a licensed Michigan lawyer, the court will administer the oath of office and enter an order admitting you to the bar of the state. (This order will expire after three years).

Step 2. After being admitted to the bar by the court, you must complete the Membership Application online at e.michbar.org using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card to become a member of the State Bar of Michigan. This application is not complete without a true, or certified copy of the Order of Admission (from the swearing-in ceremony) and payment of the required bar dues. Create an account as a Prospective New Active Attorney or Prospective New Voluntary Inactive Attorney.

Please note: some counties send the Order of Admission directly to the State Bar of Michigan following the swearing-in ceremony.

Step 3. After the Membership Application, Order of Admission, and dues payment are received and processed, your bar license number (P number) is assigned. Only then are active members eligible to practice law in Michigan. It may take up to a week for the State Bar to process the application and assign your P number. If you provide an e-mail address, notification of your P number will be provided electronically. A bar card will be sent by mail within 10-15 business days of assignment of your P number.

Please note: that if you must conduct business in a court or jail after receiving your P number and before receiving a bar card, a Certificate of Good Standing may be used, provided the court or jail accepts it. It is your responsibility to contact the court or jail to determine if a Certificate of Good Standing is accepted. To purchase a Certificate of Good Standing, click on SBM Store or download a paper form. All requests must be in writing and must include the certificate processing fee(s).

Local bar associations are scheduling their admissions ceremonies. We will post information on those ceremonies as soon as we receive it from the local bars.

Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association

    Date/Time: November 13; 12:00–1:00 p.m.
    Location: Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, 13th Floor Auditorium, 2 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

    All new attorneys who plan to take the Oath at this Ceremony must register in advance. Please visit DMBA for details and registration as it becomes available. For more information contact Darlene Trudell at dtrudell@detroitlawyer.org or (313) 961-6120 ex. 201

Federal Bar Association—Eastern District

    Date/Time: Tuesday, December 8; 3:45 p.m.
    Location: Theodore Levin United States Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit
    Visit www.fbamich.org for details, or call Brian Figot at (248) 594-5950.

Genesee County Bar Association

    Date/Time: Friday, November 13; Noon
    Location: Courtroom of Hon. Archie Hayman, Genesee County 7th Judicial Circuit Court, 900 S Saginaw St, Flint, MI 48502
    Register Online
    Visit www.gcbalaw.org or call (810) 232-6012 for more information.

Grand Rapids Bar Association

    Admission to the federal court is coordinated with this ceremony.

    <Date/Time: Friday, November 13; 3:30 p.m.
    Location: Kent County Courthouse, Jury Assembly Room, 180 Ottawa Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503
    Important: Registration required, no walk-ins allowed
    Visit www.grbar.org or contact Debbie Kurtz at (616) 454-5550 or debbie@grbar.org

Grand Traverse–Leelanau–Antrim Bar Association

Ingham County Bar Association

Jackson County Bar Association

    Contact Christine Lammi at the Fourth Circuit Court Administrator's Office at (517) 768-8502 or e-mail to clammi@co.jackson.mi.us to schedule a ceremony.

Kalamazoo County Bar Association

    Date/Time: Friday, December 4; 3:00 p.m.
    Location: Federal Building, 410 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo
    Applicants should contact Gale Evans at (269) 383-8669 for more information.

Macomb County Bar Association

    Date/Time: Thursday, November 12; 4:00 p.m.
    Location: Hon. Peter J. Maceroni Courthouse, 40 North Main St # 4G, Mt Clemens, MI 48043
    Visit www.macombbar.org or call (586) 468-2940, extension 101.

Muskegon County Bar Association

    Date/Time: Tuesday, November 10; 3:30 p.m.
    Location: Hon. William C. Marietti Courtroom, Michael E. Kobza Hall of Justice, 990 Terrace St, Fourth Floor, Courtroom D, Muskegon
    No need to RSVP.

Oakland County Bar Association

    The Oakland County Bar Association will hold one Lawyer Admission Ceremony with judges sitting en banc. Admittees MUST register in advance.

    Date/Time:  Friday, November 6; 11:45 a.m.
    Location: Oakland County Commissioners Auditorium, 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341
    Preregistration is required. Deadline to register is 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

    Visit www.ocba.org for ceremony registration and details.
    Please direct questions to Jan Anson at (248) 334-3400.

Washtenaw County Bar Association

    Visit www.washbar.org or call the Civil/Criminal Clerk’s Office (734) 222-3001.