Rule 2-8. Qualifications for Admission

To entitle an applicant to admission to the bar, except under Section 2-13 or 2-13A of these rules, the applicant must satisfy the bar examining committee that:

(1) The applicant is a citizen of the United States or an alien lawfully residing in the United States, which shall include an individual authorized to work lawfully in the United States.

(2) The applicant is not less than eighteen years of age.

(3) The applicant is a person of good moral character, is fit to practice law, and has either passed an examination in professional responsibility, which has been approved or required by the committee, or has completed a course in professional responsibility in accordance with the regulations of the committee. Any inquiries or procedures used by the bar examining committee that relate to the health diagnosis, treatment, or drug or alcohol dependence of an applicant must be narrowly tailored and necessary to a determination of the applicant's current fitness to practice law, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and amendment twenty-one of the Connecticut constitution, and conducted in a manner consistent with privacy rights afforded under the federal and state constitutions or other applicable law.

(4) The applicant has met the educational requirements as may be set, from time to time, by the bar examining committee.

(5) The applicant has filed with the director of the bar examining committee an application to take the examination and for admission to the bar, all in accordance with these rules and the regulations of the committee, and has paid such application fee as the committee shall from time to time determine.

(6) The applicant has passed an examination in law in accordance with the regulations of the bar examining committee.

(7) The applicant has complied with all of the pertinent rules and regulations of the bar examining committee.

(8) As an alternative to satisfying the bar examining committee that the applicant has met the committee's educational requirements, the applicant who meets all the remaining requirements of this section may substitute proof satisfactory to the committee that: (A) the applicant has been admitted to practice before the highest court of original jurisdiction in one or more states, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or in one or more district courts of the United States for ten or more years and at the time of filing the application is a member in good standing of such a bar; and (B) the applicant has actually practiced law in such a jurisdiction for not less than five years during the seven year period immediately preceding the filing date of the application.

Committee Notes

(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 16.) (Amended June 29, 2007, to take effect Jan. 1, 2008; amended June 21, 2010, to take effect Jan. 1, 2011; amended June 15, 2018, to take effect July 3, 2018; amended June 26, 2020, to take effect Jan. 1, 2021; amended June 11, 2021, to take effect Jan. 1, 2022; amended June 10, 2022, to take effect Jan. 1, 2023; amended June 9, 2023, to take effect Jan. 1, 2024.)