FAQs

Admission to the North Carolina State Bar is the responsibility of the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners. An application and information about admission may be obtained by calling the board at (919) 848-4229 or writing to the board at 5510 Six Forks, Suite 300, Raleigh NC 27609. If you are not applying for admission by comity (a/k/a admission by reciprocity), you may not engage in the practice of North Carolina law until you are admitted to practice and are sworn in as a North Carolina licensed lawyer.

Rule 5.5(e) of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct allows a lawyer admitted to practice in another US jurisdiction, and not disbarred or suspended from practice in any jurisdiction, to establish an office or systematic and continuous presence in North Carolina for the practice of law if the lawyer is the subject of a pending application for admission to the North Carolina State Bar by comity. There are a number of conditions that must be satisfied which can be found in the rule including that the lawyer is domiciled in North Carolina, has a professional relationship with a North Carolina law firm, and is actively supervised by at least one licensed North Carolina lawyer affiliated with the law firm. A lawyer engaging in practice in North Carolina pursuant to this provision of Rule 5.5 may provide any legal service except the representation of parties in litigated matters in North Carolina state courts and agencies. The lawyer may appear in litigated matters in federal courts or agencies as allowed by federal law and the rules of the tribunal before which the lawyer appears. The lawyer must cease the practice of North Carolina law immediately upon being advised that the lawyer’s application for comity admission was denied. 

You must wait until you receive your license from the BOLE, then take the oath of office and be sworn in as an attorney in open court by a justice or judge of any North Carolina state court before you may begin practicing law.

You may find it cumbersome to carry your actual physical license to a swearing-in ceremony; therefore, you may carry the letter that  accompanied your license (NOT the letter that informed you that you passed the bar exam) from the Board of Law Examiners certifying that you have fulfilled all requirements and are now eligible to be sworn in to the practice of law. You may present that letter, in lieu of your actual license, to certify eligibility to be sworn in.

The Board of Law Examiners supplies the oath forms to bar applicants. You may also print the oath form here.

You should file one copy of the oath form with the clerk of court where you were sworn in and keep one copy for your files. You do not need to send a copy to the NC State Bar.

The bigger counties, such as Wake, Mecklenburg, Forsyth, and Guilford usually schedule mass swearing-in sessions at the courthouse in March and August of each year after the bar results come out. You can check with the trial court administrator or clerk of court to find out if there is such a ceremony planned in your area. If there is no group ceremony planned, or if you can't wait until one is held, you can arrange a private swearing in ceremony by calling the judge's chambers and scheduling an appointment.

This is not required by statute, but is often done as a matter of custom and, in some judicial districts, may be required by the judiciary. You should contact the clerk of court of the district where you would like to be sworn in to determine what will be required. If not required by the district judiciary and you don't know a North Carolina attorney who can introduce you, you may introduce yourself to the court.

You may be sworn in at any time after being admitted. North Carolina has no deadline by which successful bar applicants must take the oath of office. However, you may not practice law in North Carolina until you are sworn in.

Yes. You are an active member of the North Carolina State Bar as soon as you complete all the requirements for admission set forth by the Board of Law Examiners, even before you are sworn in. As an active member of the North Carolina State Bar you are required to pay the annual mandatory membership fees and complete the annual mandatory CLE requirements. For more information on these requirements and to learn how to petition to become an inactive member of the State Bar, see the Membership FAQ’s and Continuing Legal Education FAQ’s.

No. You must take the oath of office in person in open court.

No. The federal courts in North Carolina require new lawyers to be admitted to the North Carolina courts before being admitted to practice in the federal courts. You should contact the clerk of the federal court where you wish to be admitted to find out how to apply for admission in the federal court system.

The Client Security Fund was established by the North Carolina Supreme Court by order dated August 29, 1984. The fund is administered by a board of trustees appointed by the North Carolina State Bar Council. Its purpose is to reimburse, in whole or in part in appropriate cases and subject to the provisions and limitations of the Supreme Court's orders and State Bar rules, clients who have suffered financial loss as the result of dishonest conduct of lawyers engaged in the private practice of law in North Carolina.

See 27 NCAC 1D, Section .1400

Yes. 

Reimbursable losses are losses of money or property that satisfy the following conditions:

(1) the dishonest conduct occurred on or after January 1, 1985;

(2) the loss was caused by dishonest conduct of an attorney acting as attorney for the applicant or in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the applicant customary to the private practice of law in the matter in which the loss arose; and

(3) the applicant has exhausted all viable means to collect the applicant's losses otherwise than from the fund. See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .1401(b)(7).

Certain losses are specifically declared by the rules to be non-reimbursable. See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .1401(b)(8). They are:

(1) losses of a spouse, parent, grandparent, child, brother, sister, partner, associate, or employee of the attorney causing the loss;

(2) losses covered by any bond, security agreement, or insurance contract, to the extent covered;

(3) losses of any business entity with which the attorney or any person described in (1) above is an officer, director, shareholder, partner, joint venturer, promoter, or employee;

(4) losses for which reimbursement has otherwise been received from or paid by or on behalf of the attorney who committed the dishonest conduct; and

(5) losses in investment transactions in which there was neither a contemporaneous attorney/client relationship between the attorney and the applicant nor a contemporaneous fiduciary relationship between the attorney and the applicant.

The fund only reimburses the actual amount embezzled or misappropriated by the attorney. It does not reimburse any related additional losses or damages, such as interest, fees paid to another attorney to represent the applicant against the attorney or before the Client Security Fund Board, penalties for late payment of taxes, and the like.

Any reimbursement by the fund is within the sole discretion of the board and not a matter of right. For any amount to be paid, the claim must first be shown to be one that is a reimbursable loss. Further, in deciding whether to pay any or all of a claim, the board may consider such things as the financial condition of the fund, any negligence of the applicant that contributed to the loss, the comparative hardship the applicant suffered because of the loss, the total amount of reimbursable losses in previous years for which complete reimbursement has not yet been made, the total assets of the fund, and the amount of insurance or other sources of funds available to compensate an applicant for a reimbursable loss.

Yes. The fund does not reimburse otherwise reimbursable losses sustained by any one applicant as a result of dishonest conduct of one attorney in an amount exceeding $100,000.

When a written application is filed, it is investigated by an investigator employed by the fund. When the investigation is complete, the application is placed on the agenda of a quarterly meeting of the Client Security Fund Board. A copy of the application is sent to the attorney who is alleged to have committed dishonest conduct. When the board meets, it may request testimony from the applicant or others having knowledge of the facts, and the attorney will be given an opportunity to be heard if requested. The application, investigation, reports, and hearing are confidential unless and until the board authorizes reimbursement or the attorney requests that the matter be made public. However, relevant information may be provided by the board to disciplinary committees of the North Carolina State Bar or anyone else to whom the council of the North Carolina State Bar authorizes release of information.

If the question relates to your own prospective conduct, you may telephone the State Bar at (919) 828-4620. There are three lawyers on the staff who answer ethics questions. If the question relates to the conduct of another lawyer, you must write to the State Bar for a response and send a copy of the letter to the lawyer whose conduct is at issue. This will give the other lawyer an opportunity to comment upon the inquiry. If the question relates to past conduct (your own or that of another lawyer), the staff may decline to answer. Also, inquiries that involve novel or controversial questions of legal ethics will not be answered over the telephone. You will be asked to put the question in writing and mail it to the Ethics Committee for its consideration at its next quarterly meeting.

Opinions given over the phone are informal. Oral ethics opinions provide feedback and guidance to lawyers who are trying to deal with difficult ethical dilemmas. Although an oral opinion is not a formal ethics ruling because it cannot be reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee, you may rely upon the advice you receive. If a grievance is subsequently filed against you, the fact that you sought the informal opinion of the State Bar and acted accordingly will be evidence of a good faith effort to comply with the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct.

Yes. The Bar's program for providing informal ethics advisories to inquiring attorneys is a desigated lawyers' assistance program and information received by designated staff counsel from an attorney seeking an informal ethics advisory shall be confidential information pursuant to Rule 1.6(c) of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Such information may only be disclosed as allowed by Rule 1.6(b), and as necessary to respond to a false or misleading statement made about an informal ethics advisory. In addition, if an attorney's response to a grievance proceeding relies in whole or in part upon the receipt of an informal ethics advisory, confidential information may be disclosed to Bar counsel, the Grievance Committee, or other appropriate disciplinary authority.

Only written inquiries are sent to the Ethics Committee. If your inquiry involves the conduct of another lawyer, you will be asked to reduce the inquiry to writing for submission to the full committee. Questions involving matters of first impression or controversy are always sent to the full committee.

See 27 NCAC 1D, Section .0100.

Send a letter to the Ethics Committee at PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611, or send an email. All letters of comment received prior to the next meeting of the Ethics Committee are provided to the members of the committee for consideration. Letters of comment should be sent as soon as possible after the publication of the proposed opinion to facilitate their inclusion in the materials mailed to the members of the Ethics Committee prior to the meeting.

All meetings of the Ethics Committee are public. The committee meets on a quarterly basis in conjunction with the State Bar Council's quarterly meetings in January, April, July, and October. Call the State Bar for the date and location of each meeting. At the meeting of the committee, if you are recognized by the chairperson, you will be given the floor to comment briefly on a proposed opinion or new inquiry.

No. Your inquiry will become part of the records of the State Bar. As a state agency, most records of the State Bar are public. You may want to put your inquiry in a hypothetical format to avoid improper disclosure of confidential client information.

Yes. An opinion will not be provided if the material facts of the inquiry are in dispute or the inquiry requires an interpretation of law rather than legal ethics. A written inquiry that discloses a possible violation of the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct may be referred to the Grievance Committee of the State Bar for investigation. If an oral inquiry discloses a possible violation of the Revised Rules, the caller may be encouraged to report the matter to the State Bar. Inquiries relative to a conflict of interest that is the subject of a motion to disqualify pending before a tribunal will not be answered unless the tribunal requests the opinion of the State Bar.

While ethics opinions do not themselves have the force of law, they are regarded as definitive interpretations of the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct by the North Carolina State Bar Council. As such, ethics opinions are often the basis upon which decisions are made by the Grievance Committee in regard to matters of alleged professional misconduct and by the Disciplinary Hearing Commission in regard to formal charges of professional misconduct. As final decisions of the North Carolina State Bar Council, ethics opinions are appealable under the terms of the Administrative Procedures Act to the Superior Court of Wake County.

North Carolina lawyers should regard the State Bar's ethics opinions as binding as a matter of professionalism. Although there is often disagreement as to conclusions reached by the Ethics Committee and the council, a lawyer who values his or her reputation as a true professional would never intentionally disregard an ethics opinion. Rather, such a lawyer should avail himself or herself of existing procedures to seek reconsideration of an opinion with which he or she disagrees.

An ethics opinion is not final until it is approved by the State Bar Council. This usually occurs upon motion of the Ethics Committee at the quarterly meeting immediately following the publication of the proposed opinion. Proposed ethics opinions are published in the State Bar Journal after every quarterly meeting of the State Bar Council. If written comments or requests to be heard are received about a proposed opinion, it is reconsidered by the Ethics Committee at its next quarterly meeting. The committee may decide to revise the proposed opinion and republish it in the Journal for further comment or it may decide that the proposed opinion is the proper response to the inquiry and request that the council approve the opinion as published. A proposed opinion may go through the reconsideration process several times.

Rule 1.5(f) of the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct requires a lawyer with a dispute with a client over a legal fee to notify the client of the North Carolina State Bar's program of fee dispute resolution at least 30 days prior to initiating a legal proceeding to collect the disputed fee.

A fee is in dispute if the client questions or objects to the amount billed. Also, if a client fails to pay the bill, it is assumed that the fee is disputed unless the client affirms the obligation in writing or verbally. If a client pays by a check that is subsequently returned for insufficient funds, it is assumed that the client has affirmed the obligation and the lawyer is not required to notify the client of the fee dispute resolution program.

The client must be notified of the right to participate in the fee dispute resolution program at least 30 days before filing suit against the client to collect the fee. See Rule 1.5(f) of the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct. A sample notice letter may be found on the Forms page of this website.

Yes. Although a lawyer does not ultimately intend to sue a client to collect a fee if the client fails to pay, a lawyer may nevertheless seek the client's participation in the fee dispute resolution program in an effort to collect the fee or some portion thereof.

See 27 NCAC 1B, Section .0100.

See 27 NCAC 1B, Section .0200.

You can usually get more time to respond. To request additional time, call the North Carolina State Bar at (919) 828-4620 and ask to speak to the staff attorney assigned to your grievance. The staff attorney assigned to your grievance is identified in the last paragraph of the letter of notice in boldface type. The staff attorney is ordinarily not the person who signed the letter of notice. The staff attorney has authority to grant additional time to respond if the circumstances warrant.

If you have a question about a complaint that has been filed against you, call the State Bar at (919) 828-4620 and ask to speak to the staff attorney assigned to the complaint. The staff attorney assigned to your grievance is identified in the last paragraph of the letter of notice in boldface type. The staff attorney is ordinarily not the person who signed the letter of notice. If you don't know the staff attorney's name, the receptionist will assist you.

No. A letter of notice notifies the respondent lawyer that a grievance has been filed, summarizes the allegations of the grievance, and requires the lawyer to respond. A letter of notice is not an accusation by the State Bar against you. However, you must respond timely to the letter of notice. Failure to respond timely may be an independent basis for discipline. See 27 NCAC 1B, Rule .0112(c).

That is a decision you must make. In deciding whether you need the assistance of counsel, you should consider the complexity and seriousness of the allegations. The staff attorney assigned to your grievance can provide the names of lawyers who regularly handle cases before the Grievance Committee and the Disciplinary Hearing Commission.

No. Proceedings of the Grievance Committee are closed to the public. The committee decides all cases upon written submissions and does not take testimony. However, the Grievance Committee can subpoena a lawyer whose written response was inadequate to provide a full response at a quarterly Grievance Committee meeting.

As a member of the State Bar, you must comply with the State Bar's rules. Rule .0112(c) of the Discipline and Disability Rules (27 NCAC 1B, Section .0100) states that a lawyer must respond to a letter of notice within 15 days and that the response must be "a full and fair disclosure of all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the alleged misconduct."

The time it takes the Grievance Committee to rule on a grievance depends upon the complexity of the case. Cases in which the Office of Counsel recommends action other than dismissal are decided by the full Grievance Committee at quarterly meetings in January, April, July, and October. Grievances in which the Office of Counsel recommends dismissal because there is not sufficient evidence to prove a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct are considered throughout the quarter by the chairman and, in some cases, another committee member.

Not all judicial districts have grievance committees. Also, whether a file is sent to a judicial district grievance committee depends upon the nature of the complaint and the caseload of the local committee. Grievances involving allegations of criminal misconduct or financial wrongdoing are never sent to judicial district grievance committees.

You may request that your identity be held in confidence and, generally, the State Bar is able to comply with this request. However, the State Bar may be required to reveal the identity of a reporting lawyer to the accused lawyer if such disclosure is required by law, by considerations of due process, or where identification of the reporting lawyer is essential to the preparation of the lawyer's defense to the grievance or formal disciplinary complaint. See 27 NCAC 1B, Rule .0111(d).

Because of the State Bar's confidentiality rules, a lawyer who reports alleged misconduct of another member of the Bar but who is not identified as the complaining party is not advised of the progress of the investigation or outcome of the grievance.

Lawyers are not charged with violations of ethics opinions. Rather, they are charged with violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Ethics opinions do not themselves have the force of law. However, they are regarded as definitive interpretations by the State Bar Council of the Rules of Professional Conduct. As such, the Grievance Committee and the Disciplinary Hearing Commission rely upon ethics opinions in deciding whether a lawyer violated the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Yes. Every active member of the State Bar who resides in North Carolina must be a member of the judicial district bar where he/she resides or practices. The State Bar automatically assigns you to a local district bar based on your address on record with the State Bar. To change your district bar, log in to the member portal and edit your contact information.

You may choose between the districts. Log into your Member Login account and use the “Edit Contact Info” link to change your address and/or your judicial district.

No. Every active member of the State Bar who resides in North Carolina must be a member of the judicial district bar where he/she resides or practices. You may only be a voting member of the judicial district bar on record for you with the State Bar. If you desire to be a non-voting member of another judicial district bar, you must contact that district bar to see if it accepts non-voting members.

You are not required to belong to a local district bar or pay district bar dues.

Yes. If your local judicial district bar charges dues you are required to pay them. Active State Bar members who reside in North Carolina must be members of a local judicial district bar. NCGS §84-18.

If you join a judicial district bar after the beginning of its fiscal year, you are exempt from paying the dues for that fiscal year only if you demonstrate that you paid district bar dues to the previous district bar AND the fiscal year runs conterminously with the fiscal year of the new judicial district bar for a period of 3 months or more.

If you change your district bar affiliation, you must notify both the district you are leaving and the district you are joining. Please see the list of local Judicial District Bar Officers for contact information.

To view the District Bar Map, click here. If you are still unsure of your affiliation, contact the membership department at the State Bar.

To view the regulations governing district bars, see the following Rules and Regulations:

Subchapter A, Section .0800, Election and Appointment of State Bar Councilors

Subchapter A, Section .0900, Organization of the Judicial District Bars – District bars must adopt bylaws and submit bylaws to the State Bar Council for approval

Subchapter A, Section .1000, Model Bylaws

Subchapter B, Section .0200, Rules Governing Judicial District Grievance Committees 

Subchapter D, Section .0700, Fee Dispute Resolution

To view the District Bar Officer’s Directory, click here.

To view the District Bar Councilor’s Directory, click here.

To view the essential duties of District Bar officers, click here.

Effective January 1, 2010, North Carolina lawyers are no longer required to inform the State Bar as to whether they maintain legal malpractice insurance. The only way to obtain this information is to check with your attorney.

See 27 NCAC 1A, Section .0200 and NCAC 1D, Sections .0900 and .1000.

Yes. Once you are licensed by the NC Board of Law Examiners, by passing the bar exam, by transfer of Uniform Bar Exam score, or by comity, you automatically become a member of the State Bar. To be entitled to practice North Carolina law, you must be an active member of the State Bar. Also, you must take the oath of office and be sworn in as an attorney before you may begin practicing law. For more information, see Admission – Swearing In FAQ's.

Pay the annual membership fees, fulfill the CLE and IOLTA requirements, and comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct. If you are a North Carolina resident, you must also maintain membership in the local district bar where you work or reside.

The annual membership fee for 2024 is $300. There was no Client Security Fund assessment this year.  The amount of the membership fee is established each October by the State Bar Council pursuant to the authority granted to the Council by the General Assembly in NCGS §84-34.

The State Bar membership fees and IOLTA certification are due on January 1 but are not considered delinquent until July 1. The State Bar no longer mails paper invoices. Members do receive several emails, and a postcard reminder, to pay and certify before the deadline. If members wish to mail a physical check, they must print their invoice from their online member portal.

You will owe a late fee of $30. Continued failure to pay any part of the membership fees may result in the suspension of your North Carolina law license. See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .0903.

If you are suspended, you will have to file a reinstatement petition with the membership department of the State Bar. (For more information on reinstatement, see Membership FAQ #17 below.)

The Client Security Fund was established by the North Carolina Supreme Court by order dated August 29, 1984. The fund is administered by a board of trustees appointed by the State Bar Council. Its purpose is to reimburse, in whole or in part in appropriate cases and subject to the provisions and limitations of the Supreme Court’s orders and State Bar rules, clients who have suffered financial loss as a result of dishonest conduct of lawyers engaged in the private practice of law in North Carolina.

The amount of the Client Security Fund assessment is set by the North Carolina Supreme Court depending on the needs of the fund.

Your membership with the State Bar is automatic upon licensure. The membership fees are waived for the calendar year in which you are admitted by exam. You will owe membership fees for the calendar year following the year of your admission to the State Bar and continuously on an annual basis as long as your membership status is “active”. See NCGS §84-34 and 27 NCAC 1A, Rule .0203(c).

Your membership with the State Bar is automatic upon licensure. You will owe membership fees for the calendar year in which you are admitted by comity, regardless of when during the year you are admitted. The State Bar is prohibited by law from waiving or prorating the membership fees. See NCGS §84-34 and 27 NCAC 1A, Rule .0203(c).

The State Bar must receive certification of your licensure from the NC Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) before you can be assigned a State Bar ID number. Upon receipt of your certification from the BOLE the membership department will mail your State Bar ID card. Instructions for completing the “new attorney registration” process in the Member Portal will also be emailed to you. Please review all the important new attorney information in the email.

No. All active members are obligated to pay the annual State Bar membership fees, unless eligible for a waiver per 27 NCAC 1A, Rule .0203.

You must petition to become an inactive member of the State Bar to be relieved of membership fees and CLE obligations. You must complete and file a Petition for Transfer to Inactive Status with the membership department of the State Bar.See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .0901.

You must petition to become an inactive member of the State Bar. See Membership FAQ #12 above.

Yes, if you remain inactive for an entire calendar year. To retain your certification, you must remain substantially involved in the specialty practice area. Substantial involvement is defined differently for each specialty but, generally, it requires that the specialist devote no less than 25% of a full-time practice to the specialty every calendar year. Check the recertification standards for your specialty by visiting the specialization website.  

No, during any period of inactivity, you must discontinue the active practice of law. Any statements or representations you make about yourself may not imply that you have an active law license. 

No. But you must pay all fees owed to the State Bar at the time you petition for inactive status.

If you have been inactive or suspended for one year or less, see the instructions accompanying the short form petition for reinstatement.

If you have been inactive or suspended for more than one year, but less than seven, see the instructions accompanying the long form petition for reinstatement.

If you have been inactive or suspended for more than seven years, unless an exception* applies, members seeking reinstatement must not only successfully complete the bar examination, but also must successfully complete the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) and the state-specific component of the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). 

*Each year of active licensure in another state will offset one year of NC inactive status for the purpose of calculating years of inactivity.  Each year of military service will offset one year of NC inactive status for the purpose of calculating years of inactivity. 

Additionally, the “grandfather clause” that excluded members who obtained inactive or suspended status prior to March 10, 2011, from the bar exam requirements has been removed. Members who were previously covered by the “grandfather clause” have until October 14, 2022, to petition for reinstatement in order to then complete 84 CLE hours in lieu of the bar examination requirements. Petitions filed after the October 14, 2022, deadline are subject to the amended rules requiring passage of the bar exam to seek reinstatement, unless you qualify for an exemption, as noted in the rules.

Every active member of the State Bar who resides in North Carolina must be a member of the judicial district bar where he/she resides or works. The State Bar automatically assigns you to a local district bar based on your address on record with the State Bar unless you change your district in the Member Portal. For more information on the district bars see the District Bar FAQ’s.

Complete and submit the Member Request Form and appropriate fees to the address on the form.

NOTE: If you need a certificate from the “highest court,” follow the instructions on the Supreme Court’s website Certificate of Good Standing | North Carolina Judicial Branch (nccourts.gov).

Complete and submit the Discipline History Request Form to the address on the form. There is no charge for the letter.

Complete and submit the Member Request Form and appropriate fees to the address on the form.

Complete and submit the Member Request Form and fee, if required, to the address on the form.

Change your name in the Member Portal under “My Profile."

You may continue to practice law using your maiden name provided the continued professional use of your maiden name is not fraudulent, false, or misleading. See Rule 7.1 of the NC Rules of Professional Conduct. In particular, you must be consistent in using your maiden name professionally (always signing all documents relative to your law practice using that name). Where necessary to avoid misleading anyone, you must explain that you are using one name as your professional name and another name for personal matters.

If you will use your maiden name professionally, you should continue to be listed with the State Bar under your maiden name to avoid confusion. However, be aware that if someone searches our website directory under your married name, the person will not find your listing. Similarly, if someone calls the State Bar membership department to inquire about your status and uses your married name, the membership department may not be able to locate your record in the State Bar membership database.

Complete and return the Attorney Name Change Request.

Log into the Member Portal of the State Bar website and use the "Edit Contact Info" link.

See 27 NCAC 1E, Section .0100.

Professional associations, professional corporations, and professional limited liability companies organized for the practice of law are required to register with the State Bar. See NCGS §55B-12 and NCGS 57D-2-02.

Prior to filing the organization's articles with the Secretary of State, you must file the articles along with an application for registration with the membership department of the North Carolina State Bar, and pay a registration fee of $50.

Applications can be found on the Forms page under the Professional Organizations heading.

In May of each year, a renewal email notification will be sent to the responsible attorney for the organization as it appears in the records of the State Bar. The responsible attorney will log onto the NC State Bar’s member portal using his/her personal membership ID number and password to access the organization’s renewal and pay the $25 renewal fee. Renewals must be received and paid by July 1.

See 27 NCAC 1E, Section .0200.

Any law firm or professional organization that maintains offices in North Carolina and one or more other jurisdictions must obtain a certificate of registration as an interstate or international law firm from the State Bar unless all of the lawyers associated with the law firm or professional organization are licensed to practice law in North Carolina.

You must file a registration statement with the membership department of the State Bar and pay a $500 registration fee.

Applications can be found on the Forms page under the Professional Organizations heading.

In November of each year, an interstate/international law firm renewal will be mailed to the address of the interstate/international law firm as it appears in the records of the State Bar. The renewal certificate must be completed and returned to the State Bar together with a renewal fee of $500 by December 31st.

A lawyer or law firm may be designated by a trade name, a distinctive website address, social media username, or comparable professional designation. Such designations no longer need to be registered with the State Bar, but still must comply with Rule 7.1 in that such designations cannot be false or misleading. 

For example, a law firm name or designation is misleading if it implies a connection with 1) a government agency, 2) a deceased or retired lawyer who was not a former principal of the firm, 3) a lawyer not associated with the firm or a predecessor firm, 4) a nonlawyer, or 5) a public or charitable legal services organization. See Rule 7.1 cmt. 5. Additionally, if a firm uses a trade name that includes a geographical name such as “Springfield Legal Clinic,” an express statement explaining that it is not a public or charitable legal services organization may be required to avoid a misleading implication. Id.

A trade name may also not compare a lawyer or law firm’s services with others or imply a promised result. 

If you have questions about whether a trade name complies with Rule 7.1, you may request advice from the State Bar’s ethics department by emailing ethicsadvice@ncbar.gov.

See 27 NCAC Subchapter 1H, Section .0100.

G.S. 84-4.1       

The North Carolina lawyer (and member of the North Carolina State Bar) who acts as the out-of-state lawyer's sponsor in the motion for admission pro hac vice is required to register the admission with the North Carolina State Bar.

A pro hac vice registration must be filed by the responsible North Carolina lawyer within 30 days of the entry of the pro hac vice admission order.

No, the North Carolina State Bar cannot help you find a lawyer because of its role as the agency that regulates the legal profession in North Carolina, but assistance can be obtained from the North Carolina Bar Association's lawyer referral service at (919) 677-8574.

Click here for pro hac vice admission registration information and online filing instructions through the Member Portal. A separate registration is required for each out-of-state attorney in each case. 

A copy of the signed order granting pro hac vice admission.

Submit a fee in the amount of $225 to one of the following:

(i) for judicial proceedings, the presiding clerk of court

(ii) for administrative proceedings, the presiding administrative agency.

The clerk of court or administrative agency will distribute the fees to the State Treasurer and the State Bar. Do not submit payment to the State Bar.

Yes. Close the registration in the Member Portal.

No.

Yes. Rule 33(d) of the NC Rules of Appellate Procedure outlines the procedures that must be followed when an out-of-state attorney seeks admission to an appellate court.

Yes. Within 30 days of a pro hac vice order issued by the North Carolina Court of Appeals, you must complete a new registration. Click here for pro hac vice admission registration information and online filing instructions through the Member Portal.   

Yes. Within 30 days of a pro hac vice order issued by the North Carolina Court of Appeals, you must complete a registration. Click here for pro hac vice admission registration information and online filing instructions through the Member Portal.

Yes. Within 30 days of a pro hac vice order issued by the North Carolina Supreme Court, you must complete a registration. Click here for pro hac vice admission registration information and online filing instructions through the Member Portal.

Yes. Within 30 days of a pro hac vice order issued by the North Carolina Supreme Court, you must complete a registration. Click here for pro hac vice admission registration information and online filing instructions through the Member Portal.

Yes, a lawyer licensed to practice in another state may obtain an order from the North Carolina State Bar Council permitting the lawyer to provide legal services to indigent persons on a pro bono basis under the supervision of a NC lawyer employed by a nonprofit corporation qualified to render legal services pursuant to N.C.G.S. 84-5.1. See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .0905 for the requirements of the petition to the council and accompanying information.

Rule 5.5(c)(2)(B) of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct provides that a lawyer admitted to practice in another jurisdiction, but not in North Carolina, does not engage in the unauthorized practice of law in North Carolina if the lawyer acts with respect to a matter that arises out of or is otherwise reasonably related to the lawyer's representation of a client in a jurisdiction in which the lawyer is admitted to practice.

If a subpoena from a North Carolina court is necessary to compel a witness to appear at a deposition, the out-of-state lawyer should contact the clerk of court for the North Carolina judicial district in which the deposition will be taken for instructions on how to obtain a subpoena. If the judicial district requires an action to be filed in North Carolina but does not require the out-of-state lawyer to be admitted pro hac vice, a North Carolina lawyer may file the action and obtain the subpoena; the out-of-state lawyer may then take the deposition of the witness without being admitted pro hac vice. If the judicial district requires the out-of-state lawyer to be admitted pro hac vice, the necessary motion must be filed and the sponsoring North Carolina lawyer must register with the State Bar.

If the out-of-state lawyer wishes to withdraw from a case, a motion to withdraw must be filed with the court. If the motion is granted, the NC lawyer should close the registration in the Member Portal.

This is a question of law that cannot be answered by the State Bar. Please refer to G.S. 84-4.1(5) and In re Smith, 301 N.C. 621, 272 S.E. 2d 834 (1981)(“A general appearance by local counsel is required by G.S. 84-4.1.”) for guidance. If in doubt, the North Carolina lawyer should seek instruction from the court at the time of the entry of the order allowing limited practice by the out-of-state lawyer.

A North Carolina lawyer wishing to withdraw from a case in which he has agreed to be the sponsoring lawyer for an out-of-state lawyer appearing pro hac vice should do the following:

1. File a motion with the court expressing the desire to withdraw and asking the court to approve suitable substitute NC counsel as required in G.S. 84-4.1 (5).

2. Provide to the North Carolina State Bar a copy of the order allowing withdrawal from the case. If a separate order is entered allowing the appearance of a new NC sponsoring lawyer, please provide that as well.

3. The new NC sponsoring lawyer must file an Update Form for New Sponsoring Attorney with the North Carolina State Bar.

No. The North Carolina PHV statute applies to appearances before North Carolina state courts and tribunals, not private arbitration or mediation forums such as AAA or JAMS.  If the actual site of the arbitration or mediation is located in a forum in North Carolina, no special PHV admission is required as long as the rules of the forum permit the representation without PHV.  However, PHV will be required if the arbitration or mediation arises from an order or directive of a North Carolina state court or tribunal.  Other arbitrations or mediations may require that the out-of-state lawyer comply with Rule 5.5(c) (3) of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, which provides that a lawyer admitted to practice in another United States jurisdiction, and not disbarred or suspended from practice in any jurisdiction, may represent a client in a pending arbitration, mediation, or other alternative dispute resolution proceeding in North Carolina provided the lawyer’s services arise out of or are reasonably related to the lawyer's representation of a client in a jurisdiction in which the lawyer is admitted to practice and are not services for which pro hac vice admission is required.

The Lawyer's Handbook can now be downloaded for free. There will be a very limited number of hard copies available for purchase. You can send a check or money order for $16.09 to the North Carolina State Bar, Attn: Handbook, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611. Please enclose a note with your name and address and what publication you are requesting.

The Lawyer's Handbook is published annually, usually in April.

The Lawyer's Handbook contains the most referenced provisions of the Administrative Rules, Rules of Professional Conduct, Ethics Opinions, Index to Ethics Opinions, and Trust Accounting and IOLTA FAQs.

You can send a check or money order in the amount of $10.68 payable to the North Carolina State Bar. Please enclose a note with your name and address and what publication you are requesting. Mail to: North Carolina State Bar, Attn: Membership, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611.

The Journal is published quarterly—each March, June, September, and December.

Mid-year subscriptions are charged on a prorated basis. Please contact the Membership Department at (919) 828-4620 for more information.

Individual copies of the Journal may be purchased at the rate of $5.34 for each issue. Please enclose a note with your name and address and what publication you are requesting. Mail to: North Carolina State Bar, Attn: Publications, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611.

You must petition to become an inactive member of the State Bar.

Complete and file a Petition for Transfer to Inactive Status with the membership department of the State Bar. See 27 NCAC 1D, Rule .0901.

The petition must be reviewed by the Administrative Committee and approved by the State Bar Council. The committee and the council meet quarterly in January, April, July, and October of each year. The dates of the meetings can be found here. Submit the petition at least 30 days prior to the quarterly meeting of the State Bar Council at which you are requesting the council to take action on the petition.

Keep a copy of your petition for your records. If your petition is received 30 days prior to the meeting, you will receive confirmation (if you list an e-mail address on your petition you may receive correspondence via e-mail) that your petition was received by the NC State Bar.

The petition must be completed and received no later than December 30th in order to avoid the membership fee for the next year.

Mail the petition and any supporting documentation to:
NC State Bar
Membership Department
PO Box 26088
Raleigh, NC 27611

Following the State Bar quarterly meeting, if your request for inactive status is granted by the State Bar Council, an inactive order will be mailed to the address you provide on the petition.

There is no fee for becoming an inactive member of the NC State Bar, but you must pay all fees owed to the State Bar at the time you petition for inactive status, including the entire mandatory membership fee and the Client Security Fund assessment (payable to the NC State Bar) for the year in which you file the petition.

The membership fee invoice for each calendar year is mailed to every active member of the State Bar in December of the preceding year. The completed invoice and payment are due January 1, but are not considered late if received/postmarked on or before June 30.

Any outstanding CLE fees must be paid before inactive status is granted.

Once the inactive petition is granted, you no longer have to satisfy the annual CLE credit hour requirement. You are also relieved of the CLE credit hour requirement for the year in which you are transferred to inactive membership status.  

However, unless exempt from CLE requirements pursuant to Rule .1517, any deficit from the calendar year preceding the year inactive status is granted (and possibly additional hours depending on length of inactive status) must be completed if you petition for reinstatement to active status.

Yes, if you remain inactive for an entire calendar year. To retain your certification, you must remain substantially involved in the specialty practice area. Substantial involvement is defined differently for each specialty but, generally, it requires that the specialist devote no less than 25% of a full-time practice to the specialty every calendar year. Check the recertification standards for your specialty by visiting the specialization website.

If your membership status is inactive, you cannot practice North Carolina law or serve as “of counsel,” and you cannot hold yourself out as a practicing lawyer or an active member of the North Carolina State Bar. However, you may assist with the representation of legal aid clients if you petition the State Bar for and are grantedpro bono status as an inactive or out of state attorney.

Inactive members of the State Bar, including lawyers who are granted emeritus pro bono status, do not have to pay any annual membership fees, including the Client Security Fund assessment, and do not have to file CLE annual report forms or take CLE annually.

You may provide supervised pro bono legal services to indigent persons served by a nonprofit corporation after being granted inactive status by petitioning the State Bar Council for emeritus pro bono status (separate petition required – Petition for Emeritus Pro Bono Status) per rules 27 N.C.A.C.1A, Rule .0201(c)(2)(F) and 27 N.C.A.C. 1D, Rule .0901(b)(3).  A lawyer granted emeritus pro bono status may not represent clients in court. 

The petition must be accompanied by the statement of an active North Carolina State Bar member (“responsible lawyer”) who is employed by a nonprofit corporation qualified to render legal services pursuant to G.S. 84-5.1, and who has agreed to supervise the pro bono services. Use the Statement Regarding Pro Bono Supervision form.

For additional information about emeritus pro bono status or to find a pro bonosupervisor or project, see the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission website.

See Closing a Law Practice.

Succession planning is essential to every lawyer’s practice. Having a current succession plan in place proactively protects clients and colleagues in the event of the lawyer’s disability or death. 

As a result, a lawyer’s unavailability—temporary or permanent, planned or unexpected—can have a significant impact on the provision of legal services, the stability of a law office, and the administration of justice itself. Accordingly, lawyers should consider creating and implementing a succession plan to ensure legal services are minimally disrupted in the event of a lawyer’s unavailability.

This State Bar guide will assist lawyers in planning for an unexpected absense.

There is no precise definition of the practice of law in the statutes or caselaw. Two North Carolina statutes provide examples of the activities that constitute the practice of law. See NCGS §84-2.1 and §84-4. Note that NCGS §84-2.1 states that the list of particular acts set forth in the statute is not exclusive.

Only active members of the North Carolina State Bar may engage in the practice of law in North Carolina. Any person other than an active member of the North Carolina State Bar who engages in the practice of law for another commits the unauthorized practice of law in violation of Chapter 84 of the North Carolina General Statutes, unless the acts are performed under the direction and active supervision of a licensed North Carolina attorney. It is a class 1 criminal misdemeanor to engage in the unauthorized practice of law.

Yes. An individual may represent him or herself on any legal matter. A person commits the unauthorized practice of law only by performing acts constituting the practice of law for another person or entity.

No. It is a violation of North Carolina's unauthorized practice of law statutes for a nonlawyer to practice law regardless of the relationship with the individual for whom the services are provided or that no fees are charged.

No. Even if no lawsuit has been filed, assisting another person with settlement negotiations on a legal claim constitutes the unauthorized practice of law.

No. A paralegal or other nonlawyer may only perform work constituting the practice of law if it is under the supervision and at the direction of a licensed North Carolina attorney. Attorneys may hire or contractwith paralegals or other nonlawyers to perform such services provided that the nonlawyers are properly supervised. See Rule 5.3 of the Revised Rules of Professional Conduct.

Generally, no. NCGS §84-5 prohibits corporations from practicing law for others. However, the statute does not prohibit legal corporations, authorized to practice under Chapter 55 of the NC General Statutes, from practicing law.

Generally, an owner, officer, or employee of a corporation may do legal work for the corporation if the corporation has a primary interest in the transaction at issue. See State v. Pledger, 257 N.C. 634, 127 S.E. 2d 337 (1962). However, a corporation may not appear pro se and a nonlawyer may not file or appear in court proceedings, except small claims actions, on behalf of the corporation. See,LexisNexis, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. Travishan Corporation, 155 N.C.App. 205, 573 S.E.2d 547 (2002).

Generally no. NCGS §84-4.1 sets forth the limited circumstances under which an out-of-state attorney may practice law in North Carolina. All the requirements set forth in NCGS §84-4.1 must be satisfied before a lawyer licensed in another state may practice law in North Carolina. Also, non-resident attorneys cannot habitually practice in North Carolina, regardless of whether they satisfy the conditions set forth in NCGS §84-4.1 in an individual case. See State v. Hunter, 290 N.C. 556, 227 S.E. 2d 535 (1976). As of March 2003, Rule 5.5 of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct also provides additional guidance on the limitations on activities in North Carolina by out-of-state attorneys.

Generally, no. By statute, only an active member of the North Carolina State Bar may provide legal services in North Carolina. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 84-4. There are exceptions that are identified in Rule 5.5 of the North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct. A lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction must satisfy the requirements of the exception in Rule 5.5 to qualify to provide that particular legal service in North Carolina. The statutes also provide an exception for lawyers licensed in another jurisdiction to appear in North Carolina courts and tribunals pro hac vice.

A lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction may appear before a North Carolina court or tribunal only after admission pro hac vice in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 84-4.1. A lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction applying for pro hac vice must be domiciled in the state where the lawyer is licensed. In addition, pro hac vice admission is discretionary with the court and will not be granted if the court finds that an individual or her firm is applying habitually. See Smith v. Beaufort Cty. Hosp. Ass'n, 141 N.C. App. 203, 540 S.E.2d 775 (2000). (Pro hac vice admission in North Carolina federal courts is pursuant to local rules of court.)

Generally, a lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction may not send a demand letter or otherwise negotiate a settlement of a North Carolina dispute on behalf of a North Carolina party. A lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction may send a demand letter or otherwise negotiate a settlement of a North Carolina dispute on behalf of a client who is a resident of the jurisdiction where the lawyer is licensed as long as the lawyer does not habitually provide such services and otherwise meets the requirements of Rule 5.5. If the services are a prelude to litigation in which pro hac vice admission will be required, the lawyer must have a reasonable expectation being admitted pro hac vice.

No. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 84‑2.1 and 4 expressly prohibit a person who is not an active member of the North Carolina State Bar from preparing legal documents or court pleadings for other persons, firms, or corporations in North Carolina.

It depends on the law of the other state.

Rule 5.5 permits a lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction to “with respect to a matter that arises out of or is otherwise reasonably related to the lawyer’s representation of a client in a jurisdiction in which the lawyer is admitted to practice and the lawyer’s services are not services for which pro hac vice admission is required” as long as the activity is not habitual. This would generally include preparing transactional documents to which the client is a party. Note, though, in North Carolina, the buyer’s attorney typically prepares the deed in a sales transaction. An out-of-state attorney could certainly review the deed and advise her out-of-state client before it is executed.

An out-of-state attorney may not provide an opinion of title for the purposes of obtaining title insurance in North Carolina or for the benefit of a buyer or other third party.

Yes, as long as the lawyer is a bona fide employee of the corporation and does not hold himself out in a manner that states or implies that the lawyer is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and identifies his state of licensure in any public communications.

Rule 5.5(d)(2) permits a lawyer licensed in another state to maintain an office or other systematic presence in North Carolina to provide services limited to federal law. Such federal law services are generally limited to dealing with federal agencies that permit representation by a lawyer licensed in any jurisdiction, such as immigration and social security disability, or licensed exclusively by the agency, such as patent prosecutions. Lawyers may not provide legal services beyond the federal law representation or hold out in a manner that states or implies that they are licensed in North Carolina. The lawyer must also identify the state where they are licensed in any public communications.

Rule 5.5(d)(2) permits a lawyer licensed in another state to maintain an office or other systematic presence in North Carolina to provide services limited to the law of the jurisdiction where they are licensed. Lawyers may not provide North Carolina legal services or hold out in a manner that states or implies that they are licensed in North Carolina. The lawyer must also identify the state where they are licensed in any public communications.

Generally yes. Generalized legal statements and opinions, not tailored to any specific or particular situation, do not constitute the unauthorized practice of law. However, if a nonlawyer attempts to meet with a person, discuss the person's particular situation, or assist the person in filling out a form legal document, the non-lawyer is committing the unauthorized practice of law.

The North Carolina State Bar has the authority by statute to investigate allegations of unauthorized practice of law as well as the District Attorney. The State Bar may seek injunctive relief. District attorneys may prosecute charges of unauthorized practice of law as a class 1 criminal misdemeanor.

The Authorized Practice Committee of the North Carolina State Bar investigates complaints of unauthorized practice of law. The procedures for the committee are found at 27 NCAC 1D, Section .0200.

All complaints regarding the unauthorized practice of law in North Carolina must be in writing. There is no special form required to file a complaint. Complaints should be mailed to the North Carolina State Bar, ATTN: Authorized Practice Committee, PO Box 25908, Raleigh, NC 27611.

Include a written summary of the circumstances constituting and surrounding the potential unauthorized practice of law. Also, include all documents or materials available that would establish a potential unauthorized practice of law violation. Make sure you include the name, address, and phone number of the person alleged to have committed the unauthorized practice of law and the names of any material witnesses to such acts, if available.

The Authorized Practice Committee meets once a quarter in January, April, July, and October. The committee considers all complaints filed during the preceding quarter for which the investigation has been completed. Whether an investigation is completed during the quarter in which it is filed depends upon many factors including:

(1) when the complaint was received;

(2) the complexity of the investigation; and

(3) the ability to locate the accused individual, material witnesses, and relevant evidence.

Yes, all meetings of the committee are public.

N.C. Gen. Stat. §84-2.2 creates an exception to the statutory definition of the practice of law. It permits a business to operate a website that generates a legal document based on a consumer’s answers to questions presented through interactive software, but only if the business complies with all of the conditions set forth in the statute. The business must also register with the North Carolina State Bar before beginning operation and renew its registration annually.

The statute establishes seven specific conditions.

(1) The consumer is provided a means to see the blank template or the final, completed document before finalizing a purchase of that document.

(2) An attorney licensed to practice law in the state of North Carolina has reviewed each blank template offered to North Carolina consumers, including each and every potential part thereof that may appear in the completed document. The name and address of each reviewing attorney must be kept on file by the provider and provided to the consumer upon written request.

(3) The provider must communicate to the consumer that the forms or templates are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney.

(4) The provider discloses its legal name and physical location and address to the consumer.

(5) The provider does not disclaim any warranties or liability and does not limit the recovery of damages or other remedies by the consumer.

(6) The provider does not require the consumer to agree to jurisdiction or venue in any state other than North Carolina for the resolution of disputes between the provider and the consumer.

(7) The provider must have a consumer satisfaction process. All consumer concerns involving the unauthorized practice of law made to the provider shall be referred to the North Carolina State Bar. The consumer satisfaction process must be conspicuously displayed on the provider’s website.

A business that does not comply with all of the conditions is not eligible for the exception created by the statute and is subject to potential enforcement of the statutory prohibition against the unauthorized practice of law.

The State Bar has a form that a business can complete and submit for registration.

Yes, the initial registration fee is $100.

Yes, the annual registration renewal fee is $50.

The statute does not require a business to be incorporated.

The statute requires a business to register before beginning to offer services in North Carolina and to renew its registration annually.

No. The State Bar does not review the representations made by the business on the registration form. The State Bar is obligated by statute to register any business that submits the form and pays the required fee without reviewing or approving the contents of the form. The State Bar does not approve or sanction any business or business model.

A registered business may not represent to the public that it is “approved,” “sanctioned,” “authorized,” or “regulated” by the State Bar. It may represent that it is “registered with the North Carolina State Bar.”

Yes. Even if the business is registered, it is still required to operate within the parameters of the statutes governing the unauthorized practice of law. If the business is registered but does not operate in a manner that complies with N.C. Gen. Stat. §84-2.2, it is subject to potential enforcement of the unauthorized practice of law statutes.

An actively licensed North Carolina lawyer who provides internet document preparation services from a website does not need to register under the statute as long as the attorney provides the services as part of his or her law practice. If a lawyer operates an internet document preparation service as a business separate from a law practice, then he or she must register the business under N.C. Gen. Stat. §84-2.2.