Rule 2-13A. Military Spouse Temporary Licensing

(a) Qualifications. An applicant who meets all of the following requirements listed in subdivisions

(1) through (11) of this subsection may be temporarily licensed and admitted to the practice of law in Connecticut, upon approval of the bar examining committee. The applicant:

(1) is the spouse of an active duty service member of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Space Force and that service member is or will be stationed in Connecticut due to military orders;

(2) is licensed to practice law before the highest court in at least one state or territory of the United States or in the District of Columbia;

(3) is currently an active member in good standing in every jurisdiction to which the applicant has been admitted to practice, or has resigned or become inactive or had a license administratively suspended or revoked while in good standing from every jurisdiction without any pending disciplinary actions;

(4) is not currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject of a pending disciplinary matter in any other jurisdiction;

(5) meets the educational qualifications required to take the examination in Connecticut;

(6) possesses the good moral character and fitness to practice law required of all applicants for admission in Connecticut;

(7) has passed an examination in professional responsibility or has completed a course in professional responsibility in accordance with the regulation of the bar examining committee;

(8) is or will be physically residing in Connecticut due to the service member's military orders;

(9) has not failed the Connecticut bar examination within the past five years;

(10) has not had an application for admission to the Connecticut bar or the bar of any state, the District of Columbia or United States territory denied on character and fitness grounds; and

(11) has not failed to achieve the Connecticut scaled score on the uniform bar examination administered within any jurisdiction within the past five years.

(b) Application Requirements. Any applicant seeking a temporary license to practice law in Connecticut under this section shall file an application and payment of such fee as the bar examining committee shall from time to time determine. Such application shall be filed with the director of the committee and shall set forth the applicant's qualifications as hereinbefore provided, and shall certify whether the applicant has a grievance pending against him or her, has ever been reprimanded, suspended, placed on inactive status, disbarred, or has ever resigned from the practice of law and, if so, setting forth the circumstances concerning such action. In addition, the applicant shall file with the committee the following:

(1) a copy of the applicant's military spouse dependent identification and documentation evidencing a spousal relationship with the service member;

(2) a copy of the service member's military orders to a military installation in Connecticut or a letter from the service member's command verifying that the requirement in subsection (a) (8) of this section is met;

(3) certificate(s) of good standing from the highest court of each state, the District of Columbia or United States territory to which the applicant has been admitted, or proof that the applicant has resigned, or become inactive or had a license administratively suspended or revoked while in good standing; and

(4) recommendations from two attorneys who personally know the applicant certifying to his or her good moral character and fitness to practice law.

(c) Duration and Renewal.

(1) A temporary license to practice law issued under this rule will be valid for three years provided that the temporarily licensed attorney remains a spouse of the service member and resides in Connecticut due to military orders or continues to reside in Connecticut due to the service member's immediately subsequent assignment specifying that dependents are not authorized to accompany the service member. The temporary license may be renewed for one additional two year period.

(2) A renewal application must be submitted with the appropriate fee as established by the bar examining committee and all other documentation required by the bar examining committee, including a copy of the service member's military orders. Such renewal application shall be filed not less than thirty days before the expiration of the original three year period.

(3) A temporarily licensed attorney who wishes to become a permanent member of the bar of Connecticut may apply for admission by examination or for admission without examination for the standard application fee minus the application fee paid to the committee for the application for temporary license, not including any fees for renewal.

(d) Termination.

(1) Termination of Temporary License. A temporary license shall terminate, and a temporarily licensed attorney shall cease the practice of law in Connecticut pursuant to that admission, unless otherwise authorized by these rules, thirty days after any of the following events:

(A) the service member's separation or retirement from military service;

(B) the service member's permanent relocation to another jurisdiction, unless the service member's immediately subsequent assignment specifies that the dependents are not authorized to accompany the service member, in which case the attorney may continue to practice law in Connecticut as provided in this rule until the service member departs Connecticut for a permanent change of station where the presence of dependents is authorized;

(C) the attorney's permanent relocation outside of the state of Connecticut for reasons other than the service member's relocation;

(D) upon the termination of the attorney's spousal relationship to the service member;

(E) the attorney's failure to meet the annual licensing requirements for an active member of the bar of Connecticut;

(F) the attorney's request;

(G) the attorney's admission to practice law in Connecticut by examination or without examination;

(H) the attorney's denial of admission to the practice of law in Connecticut; or

(I) the death of the service member. Notice of one of the events set forth in subsection (d) (1) must be filed with the bar examining committee by the temporarily licensed attorney within thirty days of such event. Notice of the event set forth in subsection (d) (1) (I) must be filed with the committee by the temporarily licensed attorney within thirty days of the event, and the attorney shall cease the practice of law within one year of the event. Failure to provide such notice by the temporarily licensed attorney shall be a basis for discipline pursuant to the Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys.

(2) Notice of Termination of Temporary License. Upon receipt of the notice required by subsection

(d) (1), the bar examining committee shall forward a request to the statewide bar counsel that the license under this chapter be revoked. Notice of the revocation shall be mailed by the statewide bar counsel to the temporarily licensed attorney.

(3) Notices Required. At least sixty days before termination of the temporary admission, or as soon as possible under the circumstances, the attorney shall:

(A) file in each matter pending before any court, tribunal, agency or commission a notice that the attorney will no longer be involved in the case; and

(B) provide written notice to all clients receiving representation from the attorney that the attorney will no longer represent them.

(e) Responsibilities and Obligations. An attorney temporarily licensed under this section shall be subject to all responsibilities and obligations of active members of the Connecticut bar, and shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts and agencies of Connecticut, and shall be subject to the laws and rules of Connecticut governing the conduct and discipline of attorneys to the same extent as an active member of the Connecticut bar. The attorney shall maintain participation in a mentoring program provided by a state or local bar association in the state of Connecticut.

Committee Notes

amended June 26, 2020, to take effect Jan. 1, 2021; amended June 11, 2021, to take effect Jan. 1, 2022; amended June 9, 2023, to take effect Jan. 1, 2024; amended June 14, 2024, to take effect Jan. 1, 2025.)