Rhode Island
Common questions
Can a lawyer be admitted in Rhode Island without taking the bar exam (admission on motion)?
Not available. NCBE (secondary): no admission on motion. RI Art. II Rule 2(a) (primary PDF, SUMMARY): lawyer admitted 5+ yrs in another state's highest court, full-time practice 5 of last 10 yrs, but must still sit essay portion of RI bar exam; NCBE character investigation; certificate of admission
Does Rhode Island accept a transferred Uniform Bar Exam score?
NCBE (secondary): legacy UBE min 270, scores valid 2 yrs; MBE transfer not accepted; NextGen TBA; MPRE 80
What are the pro hac vice requirements and fee in Rhode Island state courts?
Local counsel: Yes: RI bar member must sign all pleadings/briefs and assume full responsibility; must practice from an office in RI (VERBATIM/SUMMARY)
Admission on motion
- Requirements
- NCBE (secondary): no admission on motion. RI Art. II Rule 2(a) (primary PDF, SUMMARY): lawyer admitted 5+ yrs in another state's highest court, full-time practice 5 of last 10 yrs, but must still sit essay portion of RI bar exam; NCBE character investigation; certificate of admission
- Years of practice
- At least five (5) years of the last ten (10) years immediately preceding filing - full-time active practice
- Reciprocity
- None found
- Reciprocity states
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Fee
- Not applicable: no admission on motion
- Rule
- R.I. Sup. Ct. Art. II, Rule 2(a) (confirm subsection)
- UBE score transfer
- NCBE (secondary): legacy UBE min 270, scores valid 2 yrs; MBE transfer not accepted; NextGen TBA; MPRE 80
- UBE minimum
- 270 or higher
- UBE score window
- within two (2) years of filing a Petition for Admission to the Rhode Island Bar
- Other routes
- Rule 9 also covers in-house counsel registration and supervised senior law student practice; casemine commentary mentions supervised temporary practice pending admission (SUMMARY)
- Foreign attorneys
- Graduates of a law school in a country other than the United States may apply for admission with different filing deadlines
- Military spouse
- Yes - temporary admission for spouse of active-duty service member stationed in Rhode Island
1 not found in the pulled documents
- MPRE
- Not in the pulled documents
State-court pro hac vice
- Rule
- R.I. Sup. Ct. Art. II, Rule 9(a)
- Local counsel
- Yes: RI bar member must sign all pleadings/briefs and assume full responsibility; must practice from an office in RI (VERBATIM/SUMMARY)
- Limits
- No more than 3 cases in 5 years preceding petition, waivable for good cause; good cause limited to client-related facts (VERBATIM)
- Procedure
- Miscellaneous petition (Form Supreme-6, Oct. 2023) with local counsel and PHV counsel certifications and client certification; filed in the court; service by certified mail; grounds checklist
1 not found in the pulled documents
- Fee
- Not in the pulled documents
Language from the source documents
11 quoted passages
On motion
He/She has been engaged in the full-time active practice of law for at least five (5) years of the last ten (10) years immediately preceding filing of his or her petition; orcourts.ri.gov
UBE transfer
Individuals may seek admission to this state’s bar by transfer of a Uniform Bar Examination score of 270 or higher earned on an administration of the Uniform Bar Examination which occurred within two (2) years of filing a Petition for Admission to the Rhode Island Bar.courts.ri.gov
Other routes
Article II, Rule 2(c)(2) provides for temporary admission of military spouses.courts.ri.gov
Pro hac vice rule
Rule 9. Nonresident Attorneys - In-house Counsel - Senior Law Students.courts.ri.gov
Local counsel
A member of the bar of this state who is actively engaged in the practice of law out of an office located in this state must sign all pleadings, briefs, and other papers filed with the court, tribunal, commission, board, or agency, and shall assumecourts.ri.gov
phv_limits
In no instance shall a nonresident attorney be permitted to appear pro hac vice in more than three (3) cases or other proceedings in the State of Rhode Island within the five (5) year period preceding the filing of the miscellaneous petition;courts.ri.gov
Years of practice
He/She has been engaged in the full-time active practice of law for at least five (5) years of the last ten (10) years immediately preceding filing of his or her petitioncourts.ri.gov
UBE minimum score
Individuals may seek admission to this state’s bar by transfer of a Uniform Bar Examination score of 270 or higher earned on an administrationcourts.ri.gov
UBE score window
which occurred within two (2) years of filing a Petition for Admission to the Rhode Island Bar.courts.ri.gov
Military spouse
Spouse of Member of the Armed Services. Any attorney who is a member of the bar of the highest judicial court of a state, district, or territory of the United Statescourts.ri.gov