Michigan
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in Michigan without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Admission on motion available. 3 of the 5 years preceding application actively practiced law as principal business or occupation in jurisdiction where admitted
Does Michigan accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Yes. UBE transfer (BLE Rule 4a): score meeting Board minimum (268 legacy per NCBE chart, secondary), earned within 3 years of Michigan exam; MPRE 85 (SBM brochure also mentions 75 for retakers/transferees, unresolved); NextGen minimum TBA.
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in Michigan state courts?
Local counsel: Yes. A Michigan attorney must move for temporary admission and appear of record. Fee: $155 to State Bar of Michigan (MCR 8.126)
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- 3 of the 5 years preceding application actively practiced law as principal business or occupation in jurisdiction where admitted
- Years of practice
- 3 of the 5 years preceding the application
- Reciprocity
- None stated.
- Fee
- $800
- Rule
- Mich. Board of Law Examiners Rule 5 (admission without examination)
- UBE score transfer
- Yes. UBE transfer (BLE Rule 4a): score meeting Board minimum (268 legacy per NCBE chart, secondary), earned within 3 years of Michigan exam; MPRE 85 (SBM brochure also mentions 75 for retakers/transferees, unresolved); NextGen minimum TBA.
- UBE minimum
- 268
- UBE score window
- within 3 years
- MPRE
- 85
- Other routes
- Special certificate for house counsel/institutional practice (BLE Rule 5(F)); military spouse temporary admission under Michigan statute (SBM brochure); special legal consultant for foreign lawyers.
- Foreign attorneys
- Yes - foreign-licensed attorneys may be licensed as special legal consultants to advise on law of foreign country of admission if they meet practice and residency requirements
- Military spouse
- Yes - military spouse lawyer licensed elsewhere who intends to practice in Michigan may be eligible for temporary admission under MCL 600.947 and 600.947a
1 not found in the pulled documents
- Reciprocity states
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- MCR 8.126
- Local counsel
- Yes. A Michigan attorney must move for temporary admission and appear of record.
- Limits
- No more than 5 cases in a 365-day period (MCR 8.126)
- Fee
- $155 to State Bar of Michigan (MCR 8.126)
- Procedure
- Michigan attorney files motion with certificate of good standing (within 30 days), affidavit per MCR 8.126(C)(1)(b), disciplinary records, form motion; State Bar notifies court of 365-day count within 7 days; applicant emails admission order back to State Bar within 7 days.
Language from the source documents
11 quoted passages
On motion
have, after being licensed and for 3 of the 5 years preceding the application, (a) actively practiced law as a principal business or occupation in a jurisdiction where admittedcourts.michigan.gov
UBE transfer
Accepts Legacy UBE Score -->Yes Minimum Legacy UBE Score 268 Accepts NextGen UBE Score TBA Minimum NextGen UBE Score TBA Date First Acceptance NextGen UBE Score TBA Maximum Score Age 3 yearsncbex.org
Other routes
A military spouse lawyer licensed to practice in another state of the United States, its territories, or the District of Columbia, who intends to practice law in Michigan, may be eligible for a temporary admission under MCL 600.947 and 600.947a.michbar.org
Pro hac vice rule
Michigan Court Rule 8.126 sets forth the process for foreign (out-of-state) attorneys to apply for temporary admission to practice in a Michigan court, administrative tribunal, or arbitration.michbar.org
Local counsel
A Michigan attorney must move for the temporary admission of the foreign attorney.michbar.org
Pro hac vice fee
The cost to apply for temporary admission is $155, however, that fee may be waived for certain applicants.michbar.org
On-motion fee
application for admission without examination, $800 plus the requisite fee for the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ character report.courts.michigan.gov
On-motion fee
(D) application for admission without examination, $800 plus the requisite fee for the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ character report.courts.michigan.gov
UBE score window
(2) The score that the individual elects to use was achieved on a uniform bar examination administered within the 3 years immediately preceding the uniform bar examination in this state for which the individual would otherwise sitcourts.michigan.gov
Foreign attorneys
be admitted to practice in a foreign country and have actually practiced, and be in good standing, as an attorney or counselor at law or the equivalent in such foreign country for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately preceding the applicationcourts.michigan.gov