2019 Bar Admission Information & Ceremonies

11/6/19

The results of the July 2019 bar exam were released to applicants on Thursday, October 31, 2019. View the notice on the Board of Law Examiners' website.

To Become a Licensed Attorney in Michigan

The State Bar of Michigan welcomes qualified applicants who are entering the practice of law in this state. All attorneys who practice law in Michigan are required to be members of the State Bar.

We 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 the Board of Law Examiners certification sent to you by mail. You may present this certification at a mass swearing-in ceremony or to one of the circuit courts of the state. View a list of the swearing-in ceremonies. 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 State Bar of Michigan. (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 using a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card to become a member of the State Bar of Michigan. Paper applications are no longer accepted. 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 fees as noted within the instructions. 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. Members sworn in at the Supreme Court need only send a copy of the Order of Admission to the State Bar.

Step 3. After the Membership Application, Order of Admission, and 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. 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: 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. Request a Certificate of Good Standing.

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.