Montana
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in Montana without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Admission on motion available. 5 of past 7 yrs practice; MPRE 80 (NCBE); character & fitness via NCBE; original and 7 copies of motion filed with MT Supreme Court; fee $2,475 (includes first-year admission and bar dues) plus separate NCBE C&F fee
Does Montana accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
Accepts legacy UBE transfer min 266, within 3 yrs of application; MBE transfer not accepted; Montana Law Seminar $155
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in Montana state courts?
Local counsel: Yes; Montana counsel associated as attorney of record, signs all pleadings, motions, briefs and participates actively in all phases Fee: $515 per attorney per appearance, annual dues continue while case pending; pro bono one-time fee only
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- 5 of past 7 yrs practice; MPRE 80 (NCBE); character & fitness via NCBE; original and 7 copies of motion filed with MT Supreme Court; fee $2,475 (includes first-year admission and bar dues) plus separate NCBE C&F fee
- Years of practice
- 5 of the 7 years preceding application, with at least 1000 hours per year in each of the required 5 years
- Reciprocity
- Not confirmed
- Fee
- $2,500
- Rule
- Rules for Admission to the Bar of Montana
- UBE score transfer
- Accepts legacy UBE transfer min 266, within 3 yrs of application; MBE transfer not accepted; Montana Law Seminar $155
- UBE minimum
- 266
- UBE score window
- valid for 3 years from the first day of the administration of the examination in which the score was earned
- MPRE
- 80 or higher within three years preceding the date of the application for admission
- Foreign attorneys
- No - Montana does not recognize foreign applicants; all applicants must hold a JD from an ABA-accredited school
3 not found in the pulled documents
- Reciprocity states
- Not in the pulled documents
- Other routes
- Not in the pulled documents
- Military spouse
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- Montana PHV rules (State Bar of Montana PHV Rules & FAQ); specific rule number not confirmed
- Local counsel
- Yes; Montana counsel associated as attorney of record, signs all pleadings, motions, briefs and participates actively in all phases
- Limits
- Two PHV appearances; further only on good cause
- Fee
- $515 per attorney per appearance, annual dues continue while case pending; pro bono one-time fee only
- Procedure
- Local counsel files motion; State Bar verifies good standing and prior appearances, forwards application to court; attorney notifies Bar Admissions Administrator on conclusion
Language from the source documents
13 quoted passages
On motion
must have been admitted by bar examination to practice law and engaged in the active practice of law for at least five of the seven years preceding application to Montana in one or more states, territories, or protectorates of the United States or the District of Columbia;courts.mt.gov
UBE transfer
Montana will accept the transfer of a score of 266 or greater from a qualified UBE exam within three years of the date of application.montanabar.org
Local counsel
appear pro hac vice in any action or proceeding, if an attorney admitted to practice in the courts of Montana is associated as attorney of record.courts.mt.gov
phv_limits
Upon an attorney or firm’s second appearance pro hac vice, no further pro hac vice appearances are permitted except upon a showing of good cause.courts.mt.gov
Pro hac vice fee
The completed Pro Hac VIce Application must be submitted with $515 per attorney per appearance to the State Bar of Montana.montanabar.org
On-motion fee
An applicant for admission on motion shall pay an application fee of $2,500, which includes the Montana attorney application fee;courts.mt.gov
Years of practice
means that during each of the required five years in the durational period, the applicant spent at least one thousand hours per year engaged in one or more of the activities listed in Rule V.D.1.courts.mt.gov
UBE minimum score
have achieved a scaled score on the Uniform Bar Examination that is equal to or greater than 266 and that was earned in not more than threecourts.mt.gov
UBE score window
The Uniform Bar Examination transfer score is considered valid and will be accepted for a period of three years from the first day of the administration of the examination in which the score was earned.courts.mt.gov
MPRE
submit evidence of a score of 80 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination that was earned in an administration of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination within three years preceding the date of the application for admission;courts.mt.gov
Foreign attorneys
Montana does not currently accept early applications for law students or recognize foreign applicants.montanabar.org