Rules relating to admission of attorneys to the Kansas Bar are dealt under Kansas Supreme Court Rules 706 et seq. The Supreme Court of Kansas makes rules necessary for the examination of applicants for admission to the Bar of this state pursuant to Section 7-103 of Kansas Statutes. Under Kansas Supreme Court Rules 706, any applicant seeking admission to the Bar of Kansas must hold a baccalaureate degree in a college, university or other institution of higher learning accredited by the United States Department of Education. He must also hold a juris doctor degree or Bachelor of Laws degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. According to Kansas Court Rules 709, the Kansas Board of Law Examiners will conduct a written Bar examination. The Board, with prior approval of the Supreme Court, will conduct written multiple-choice or essay tests prepared by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, including Multistate Bar Examination. If any applicant wishes to use the score s/he achieved from a concurrent bar examination in another state will not be eligible for admission to the practice in Kansas until the applicant shows that he has passed the entire examination conducted by the other state in one attempt. Furthermore, without completing the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), no applicants will be admitted to the Bar. An applicant should pass MPRE examinations with a scaled score of 80 and the exam should be taken within 180 days from the date the applicant took the Bar examination.
As stated by Kansas Supreme Court Rules 708, any applicant for admission to the Bar of Kansas who is already practicing in highest Court of another state or in the District of Columbia can be admitted in Kansas State without written examination.
As enumerated in Kansas Supreme Court Rules 802, each attorney admitted to practice law in Kansas must earn a minimum of twelve continuing legal education credit hours in each annual registration period. Out of these twelve hours at least two hours must be on professional responsibility.
K.S.A. § 7-103
(a) The supreme court of this state may make such rules as it may deem necessary for the examination of applicants for admission to the bar of this state and for the discipline and disbarment of attorneys.
Kan. Sup. Ct. Rule 706
Rule 706 Educational Qualifications for Admission to the Bar
(a) Each applicant seeking admission to the bar of Kansas shall satisfy the Board that he or she:
(1) has been granted and holds a baccalaureate degree based upon a full course of study in a college, university or other institution of higher learning accredited by a regional accreditation body recognized by the United States Department of Education; and
(2) has been granted and holds a Juris Doctor degree or Bachelor of Laws degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association at the time of the applicant’s graduation.
Kan. Sup. Ct. Rule 709
Rule 709 Admission to the Bar Upon Written Examination
(a) The Board shall conduct written bar examinations on the last Tuesday and Wednesday in February and the last Tuesday and Wednesday in July.
(b) Only those applicants whose applications have been considered and approved by the Board will be permitted to take the bar examination.
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Kan. Sup. Ct. Rule 708
Rule 708 Admission to the Bar Without Written Examination
(a) Any applicant for admission to the bar of Kansas who was duly admitted to the practice of law upon written examination by the highest court of another state or in the District of Columbia may be admitted to practice in this state without written examination, upon showing that the applicant:
(1) is licensed in at least one jurisdiction that permits mutuality of admission without examination for members of the Kansas bar;
(2) has never failed a written Kansas bar examination;
Kan. Sup. Ct. Rule 802
Rule 802 REQUIRED CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION
(a) Unless exempt under subsection (d) of this rule, each attorney admitted to practice law in Kansas shall earn a minimum of twelve (12) continuing legal education (CLE) credit hours in each annual registration period (July 1 to June 30). Of the twelve hours, at least two hours shall be in the area of professional responsibility. Professional responsibility includes instruction in legal ethics, professionalism, and malpractice prevention. Such instruction shall include but is not limited to programs which focus on the Supreme Court Rules Relating to Discipline of Attorneys and/or the Rules as they directly relate to law firm management, attorney fees, substance abuse, and the duties of attorneys to the judicial system, public, clients, and other attorneys.
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