CBA Record January-February 2023

YOUNG L AWYERS S EC T I ON : BU I LD I NG BR I DGE S

Newly Admitted Attorneys: A Guide for Navigating the Illinois Requirements

By Nikki Marcotte

I have been a practicing attorney for a little over five years. I joined the Illi nois attorney ranks in late 2021 after having been licensed in two other states. Despite having easily navigated those other states’ procedures for bar admis sion, I experienced a rollercoaster ride in my attempt to be admitted to the Illinois Bar. This article provides some insight to any out-of-state attorney who considers applying for an Illinois law license and to those folks assisting out-of-state attorneys in the process. The Application My journey to become an Illinois attor ney started where everyone else’s must, too: filling out the right admission appli cation. In Illinois, the application is pre pared and submitted entirely online. Visit the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar (IBAB) website (www.ilbaradmis sions.org) to begin. Once there, you must first register an account before filling out an application. Make sure to provide the most current contact information that you use most frequently (e.g., personal email, cell phone number, etc.), as most

of the communication regarding your application will be handled by phone, email, or U.S. Mail. After registering for an account, you must determine which application to fill out. You can choose from three types: an application for admission via the bar exam ination, by transferring a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) score from another jurisdiction pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 704A, or on motion pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 705. Read the rules for each application carefully and select the one that best fits your circumstances. For me, that was the Rule 704A application. Under Rule 704A, an out-of-state attorney may transfer their eligible UBE score to Illinois so long as they submit the Rule 704A application within four years after obtaining their UBE score. If the out-of-state attorney does not meet this requirement, then they should either apply to take the bar exami nation in Illinois or see if they qualify for admission pursuant to Rule 705. After selecting the appropriate applica tion, read all the instructions; fill out each required part (the character and fitness

questionnaire is the most challenging and comprehensive section); arrange the trans fer of your UBE and Multistate Profes sional Responsibility Examination scores; upload any required documents to your application account; and triple-check that you have followed all the application’s instructions before submission. Should you have any questions about the applica tion (as I did), do not hesitate to reach out to the IBAB employee assigned to process your application—they are there to help for a reason! Once you have submitted the application and paid the fee, there is nothing to do but wait. Depending on how many applications IBAB has to pro cess, it may take a couple months before you hear anything. Application Review If IBAB is satisfied with your submission, you will be recommended for admission to the Illinois Bar. However, if IBAB has any questions or concerns, you may have to schedule an interview with an IBAB representative. Do not be alarmed if this happens, as it can happen for even the tiniest of reasons. The best thing to do in

38 January/February 2023