Educational qualifications to take the bar examination - To qualify to take the bar examination you must have a JD from an approved law school,or foreign legal education approved by the Bar Examining Committee pursuant to Art. II-3 of the CBEC regulations. All ABA-approved law schools are also approved by the Committee. In addition, the Committee has approved the Massachusetts School of Law. Non-approved law degrees or LLM degrees do not qualify. (An exam applicant who (1) has been admitted in another state, DC, Puerto Rico or a US District Court for at least 10 years, AND (2) has actually practiced law in that jurisdiction for five of the last seven years, AND (3) intends actively to practice law in Connecticut AND (4) intends to devote the major portion of the applicants working time to the practice of law in Connecticut may sit for the bar examination without meeting these educational qualifications.)

Educational qualification for admission without examination - All applicants for admission without examination must have a JD from an approved law school, or foreign legal education approved by the Bar Examining Committee pursuant to Art. II-3 of the CBEC regulations. All ABA-approved law schools are also approved by the Committee. In addition, the Committee has approved the Massachusetts School of Law. Non-approved law degrees or LLM degrees do not qualify.

Please review Article IV of the CBEC Regulations.

The MPRE is developed and administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). If an applicant satisfies Art. IV by taking the MPRE exam, the applicant must request that NCBE report their MPRE score directly to Connecticut. Score reports submitted by applicants are not acceptable. Registration and additional information can be found online on NCBE's MPRE page.

Effective with the July 2019 examination, applicants may no longer transfer a concurrent or prior MBE score to Connecticut. All applicants taking the bar examination in Connecticut must sit for the MPT, MEE, and the MBE in Connecticut during the same administration of the examination and will receive a UBE score. See Article V-6.

Yes. The court’s rules allow candidates to be sworn in by a judge in Connecticut or through the admission in absentia process which entails administration of the required oaths by an official duly qualified to do so. If admitted in absentia, the official date of admission is the date that the oaths were administered. However, this date will not be recognized until the completed admission materials have been returned to the Bar Examining Committee for processing.

Note that for some purposes, a certificate is required from the highest court of the jurisdiction in which the attorney is admitted – requests for such certificates must be made to the Clerk of the Superior Court, Hartford Judicial District. For some purposes, a certificate is required from the disciplinary authority in the jurisdiction in which the attorney is admitted – requests for such certificates must be made to the Statewide Grievance Committee. Finally, for some purposes, separate certificates are required from the highest court and from the disciplinary authority – separate requests must be submitted to both Clerk of the Superior Court, Hartford Judicial District, and to the Statewide Grievance Committee.

For information on how to request a certificate, see the Judicial Branch Website

You will receive a notice containing your juris number approximately 15 days after the Statewide Grievance Committee is notified of your swearing-in. You need this number to file an appearance in court, but you are otherwise able to practice law immediately after you have been sworn in as an attorney in Connecticut.

The Statewide Grievance Committee has held that the use of the title “Attorney” or “Esq.”, or any similar title, by one not admitted to the Connecticut bar may constitute a violation of C.G.S. §51-88. Generally unless you are admitted to the Connecticut bar, you should not use the title “Attorney” or "Esq.”

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee (CBEC) will conduct an extensive background check for all applicants and reserves the right to require applicants to submit fingerprints. Should CBEC require that an applicant submit fingerprints, a fingerprint card and instructions will be mailed to that applicant so that a Connecticut and Federal background check can be requested. Background checks received from applicants will NOT be accepted

The following documents will be sent to applicants who are required to submit fingerprints and should be reviewed prior to submitting your fingerprints and fees to CBEC.

Privacy Act Statement
Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights
Agency Privacy Requirements for Noncriminal Justice Applicants

The procedure for reinstatement after suspension, disbarment or resignation is set forth in Practice Book § 2-53. Effective January 1, 2014, the applicant shall pay to the bar examining committee $1000 and shall submit proof of such payment to the clerk of the superior court at the time the application is filed with the court.

Payment must be made by certified check or money order. The Bar Examining Committee does NOT accept credit cards, personal, corporate or law firm checks. If sending payment by mail, include your name and address, and indicate the court to which you will be applying for reinstatement. A receipt will be sent to you as proof of such payment.

See Article X of the CBEC Regulations

All law schools approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) are also approved by the Bar Examining Committee.

• List of ABA-approved law schools
  

Also approved by the Connecticut Bar Examining Committee is the Massachusetts School of Law.

• Massachusetts School of Law

The bar examination is a two-day examination:

Day 1

• 2 ninety-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions. Information on the MPT
• 6 thirty-minute Essay Examination (MEE) questions. Information on the MEE and Subjects Tested

Day 2

• Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), a 200-question multiple choice examination. Information on the MBE and Subjects Tested

The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee does not accept transferred MBE scores. All applicants taking the bar examination in Connecticut must sit for the MPT, MEE, and the MBE in Connecticut during the same administration of the examination and will receive a UBE score. See Art. V-6 of the CBEC Regulations.

MBE Score Transfers FROM Connecticut to Another Jurisdiction
To transfer an MBE score obtained in Connecticut to another jurisdiction, submit an MBE score transfer request. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the transfer request and the fee are submitted to the CBEC in time to meet the transfer deadline set by the jurisdiction to which the score will be transferred.

The passing score is 266 out of a possible 400 points. A bar examination score is the sum of the applicant's MBE scaled score and Written Examination score on the MBE scale, which consists of the MPT and the MEE (i.e., the MBE counting 50%, the MPT counting 20%, and the MEE counting 30%). There is no passing score on either part alone. For example, a high score on the MBE can offset a low score on the Written Examination. Your MBE scaled score and your Written Examination score on the MBE scale are calculated to one decimal place. Your total UBE score shall be expressed to the nearest whole number..

The MPT consists of 2 ninety-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions which are scored from 0 – 7. Your MPT raw score is the sum of the scores on each question. The theoretical range of MPT raw scores is 0 – 14.

The MEE consists of six 30-minute essay-type questions which are scored from 0 - 7. Your MEE raw score is the sum of the scores on each question. The theoretical range of Essay Examination raw scores is 0 - 42.

All applicants with total scores between 256 and 265 have their Written Examination answers reread. Unless the applicant clearly demonstrates that a clerical error has been made or that the Committee's grading procedures have been violated, there is no review of the applicant's answers or scores once the results of the bar examination are released.

If you have a disability that requires a modification of the standard testing protocols, review the information about non-standard testing accommodations.

July 1984 bar exam to July 2022 bar exam:

Written request together with a CERTIFIED CHECK or MONEY ORDER for $15.00 payable to the CONNECTICUT BAR EXAMINING COMMITTEE.

All other jurisdictions have been determined to be non-reciprocal
Reciprocity is determined as of the date the applicant files an application for admission.

No. Submitting an application for admission without examination is only the first step in the admission process and does not entitle the candidate to practice law in Connecticut. A candidate may only begin to practice law in Connecticut after being certified for admission and completing the attorney oaths for admission to the Connecticut bar.

Completing your application is only one half of the process leading to admission to the Connecticut bar. All candidates for admission without examination also undergo an intensive character and fitness investigation. The Committee begins the review of a candidate’s character and fitness immediately upon the filing of the application for admission to the bar. However, the Committee will usually only conduct a hearing after the candidate’s file is complete. While the Committee attempts to have all eligible candidates admitted soon after completion of each candidate’s application, a candidate whose application presents complex or unresolved issues of character and/or fitness will not be admitted until such issues have been resolved to the Committee’s satisfaction. See Article VI of the CBEC Regulations. Once a candidate has completed their application in a timely manner and has cleared the character and fitness investigation, the Committee will certify the applicant for admission.

The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is composed of two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks, the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), all of which are produced by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). The UBE is uniformly administered, graded, and scored by user jurisdictions and results in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions. Information on the UBE.

An application for admission by UBE score transfer must be filed within 5 years after attaining a total scaled score of 266 or higher on the UBE taken in another jurisdiction. A score is considered to have been attained on the date of the administration of the UBE that resulted in the score. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that their qualifying UBE score is transferred to the CBEC administrative office by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).

NCBE performs UBE score transfers for all UBE jurisdictions. The Committee only accepts UBE official score transcripts sent by NCBE directly. Score transcripts received from applicants will not be accepted.

Completing the application for admission by UBE score transfer is only one step in the admission process and does not automatically entitle the candidate to practice law in Connecticut. The Committee begins the review of a candidate’s character and fitness immediately upon the filing of the application for admission to the bar. However, the Committee will usually only conduct a hearing after the candidate’s file is complete. While the Committee attempts to have all eligible candidates admitted soon after completion of each candidate’s application, a candidate whose application presents complex or unresolved issues of character and/or fitness will not be admitted until such issues have been resolved to the Committee’s satisfaction.

Concurrent applications for admission by transfer of a UBE score may be filed any time after an application to sit for the UBE in another jurisdiction has been filed with that jurisdiction. Any applicant submitting a concurrent application for admission by transfer of a UBE score must upload a copy of the application filed in the other UBE jurisdiction where the applicant will take the UBE.

UBE scores for such concurrent applications must be transferred to the administrative office no later than December 31st for a July exam and no later than June 30th for a February exam. Failure to transfer a qualifying score by the deadline will result in the application being deemed withdrawn. Should an application be deemed withdrawn and the applicant wishes to seek admission in CT, a new application must be filed. As there are no exceptions or extensions available with respect to the deadline to receive a qualifying UBE score, applicants who are considering filing a concurrent application must weigh the risks of filing an application before receiving a satisfactory exam score, and are advised to contact the administrative office with any questions they may have prior to filing such an application.

All UBE score transfer requests must be made through the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE). To ensure that a UBE score is received by the deadline, applicants should submit their UBE score transfer request to NCBE as soon as possible after taking the UBE exam.

For copies of paper applications filed prior to the online application, submit a written request together with a CERTIFIED CHECK or MONEY ORDER for $15.00 payable to the CONNECTICUT BAR EXAMINING COMMITTEE.

Connecticut's public law libraries will be an invaluable resource for you as you begin your legal career. As public service law librarians, we are committed to utilizing our experience and expertise to assist you in achieving the highest professional standards.

The Law Library Services Unit's website offers many resources such as Legal Research Guides and the Law by Subject Pages.

The Judicial Branch Law Library Services Unit offers free instruction on the online legal research services available at the Judicial Branch law libraries. Please contact your local law library to schedule a session. The Judicial Branch Law Library Services Unit also periodically offers free seminars on legal research topics. When offered, information about these programs can be found on their website. Webinars of Judicial Branch Law Library Services produced MCLE programs can be found on the MCLE Videos page.

You will receive notice containing your juris number approximately 15 days after the Statewide Grievance Committee is notified that you were sworn in. You need this number to file an appearance in court. Please note that your juris number will be mailed to you at the address on file with the Bar Examining Committee.

Inquiries regarding juris numbers must be made to the Statewide Grievance Committee at Statewide.Grievance@jud.ct.gov, not the Bar Examining Committee.

You are able to practice law immediately after you have been sworn in as an attorney in Connecticut.

After being sworn into the bar, attorneys are required to complete the attorney registration. At or around the time that you receive your juris number, you will also receive information for how to complete your attorney registration.

In addition to the requirement that you register after being sworn into the bar, Connecticut Practice Book § 2-27 (d) requires all members of the Connecticut bar to register with the Statewide Grievance Committee on an annual basis. The registration process takes place between January and the beginning of March. The annual attorney registration must be done online through Judicial Branch E-Services.

More information about attorney registration can be found on the Statewide Grievance Committee website.

Practice Book § 2-24 requires an attorney to notify the Statewide Bar Counsel in writing within thirty days of admission in another jurisdiction. This information should be submitted by updating your attorney registration.

Practice Book § 2-25 requires an attorney to notify the Statewide Bar Counsel in writing within thirty days of any disciplinary action imposed by the courts in another jurisdiction. The notice should be sent to both the Statewide Bar Counsel and the Chief Clerk in the Hartford Judicial District at the addresses listed below:

Request a Certificate of Good Standing

Connecticut Practice Book § 2-70, effective January 1, 1999, provides that an annual fee be assessed attorneys to fund a client security fund. The purpose of the client security fund is to reimburse clients who have been the victims of the "dishonest conduct" of an attorney, as defined in Practice Book § 2-69.

See Client Security Fund Committee

Information on the attorney occupation tax and who must pay it.

Information on the Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement

Please report to the Supreme Court Building for mandatory registration approximately 45 minutes before the ceremony begins. You must bring a current, valid, government-issued photo identification.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not arrive in time to be checked in prior to the ceremony, then you may not be able to participate in the ceremony and, therefore, would not be admitted to practice law on that date.

As you will be appearing before the justices of the Connecticut Supreme Court, please dress in appropriate business attire.

Everyone attending the admission ceremony must pass through a security screening. You and your guests can facilitate that screening by limiting the items you bring with you to the ceremony. We recommend that you leave at home or in your car anything that is likely to trigger the metal detectors at an airport. We also recommend that you not bring large backpacks or handbags to the ceremony.

Due to space constraints in the Courthouse, you may only bring two (2) guests. Please note that guests are not allowed to sit with the candidates.

Personal cameras and video recorders are welcome.

Reception information will be provided at a later date.

If you or your guests require accommodations for a disability, please contact the Bar Examining Committee at Barexam@jud.ct.gov to make arrangements at least one week prior to the ceremony. Please note that equipment, such as wheelchairs, are not provided at the site for candidates or guests.

Please review your invitation letter for information on how to be excused from the admission ceremony.

Yes, if you are excused from the admission ceremony. Please review your invitation letter for information on how to be excused from the admission ceremony. Please be aware that your recommendation for admission is valid for 180 days. If you are not admitted within that time, the Bar Examining Committee must re-certify you.

Please be aware that you may not practice law in Connecticut until you have been admitted as an attorney and have signed the required documents.