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North Dakota Admission Laws

North Dakota admission laws are stated in Chapter 27 of Title 27 in North Dakota Century Rules, Admission to Practice Rules, and North Dakota Rules for Continuing Legal Education.  North Dakota Supreme Court is the admitting body.  Minimum age of admission is 18 years.

Applicant should hold a juris doctor degree or an equivalent degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association.  Recognized exams are Multistate Bar Examination, Multistate Essay Examination, and Multistate Performance Test.  Applicant should also pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination with a scale score of 85.

Attorneys from other states are occasionally admitted to appear in a case or proceeding in North Dakota upon making a motion.  Additionally, the other state attorney should be accompanied by a North Dakota attorney as an associate in that case.

Each attorney should dedicate 45 hours in every three years of practice to Continuing Legal Education (CLE).

N.D. Admission to Practice Rule 3.1 reads in part:

“Rule 3.1. Authorization to Practice Law for Attorneys Volunteering with Approved Legal Services Organizations.
A. Purpose. Individuals admitted to the practice of law in North Dakota have a responsibility to provide competent legal services for all persons, including those unable to pay for such services. As one means of meeting these legal needs, an attorney who is or was admitted to practice for at least five years in the courts of any state, district, or territory of the United States, including North Dakota, who volunteers to provide civil legal assistance to individuals who are unable to pay for such services is allowed to do so under the limited circumstances of this rule. An attorney may be authorized to practice law for the limited purpose of providing such assistance as an unpaid volunteer under the supervision of an approved legal services organization so long as that organization employs at least one North Dakota attorney not admitted pursuant to any provision of this rule.”

N.D. Admission to Practice Rule 1 reads in part:

“Rule 1. General requirements for admission.
A. No person may be admitted to practice as an attorney and counselor at law in this state unless the person:
 1. is at least eighteen (18) years of age;
 2. is of good moral character and fit to practice law;
 3. has designated the Clerk of the Supreme Court as the applicant’s agent for service of process for all purposes;
 4. has received a juris doctor or equivalent degree from a law school approved or provisionally approved for accreditation by the American Bar Association;
 5. has complied with either Rule 6 or Rule 7;
 6. has taken the oath and pledge required by Section 27-11-20, North Dakota Century Code; and
 7. has paid all required fees.”

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Inside North Dakota Admission Laws