Amendments For Admission Minnesota: Order Promulgating To The Rules To The BAR

STATE OF MINNESOTA March 1, 2021
IN SUPREME COURT
ADMl0-8008
ORDER PROMULGATING AMENDMENTS TO THE

RULES FOR ADMISSION TO THE MINNESOTA BAR
The Minnesota State Board of Law Examiners filed a petition on September 24, 2020,
proposing amendments to Rules 4 and 10 of the Rules for Admission to the Bar, which
establish eligibility for foreign-educated graduates to be admitted to the Minnesota bar. We
opened a public comment period on the Board's proposed amendments. The Minnesota State
Bar Association filed a statement in support of the Board's proposed amendments, stating
among other points that the amendments will enhance the diversity of Minnesota's legal
profession and will adequately protect the public. Attorney Inti Martinez-Aleman filed a
statement opposing the Board's proposed amendments, asserting among other points that the
Board's proposal is underclusive and does not sufficiently advance the interests of the public
or foreign-educated graduates.
We have carefully considered the Board's proposal, including the study and review
the Board conducted. We have also carefully considered the suggestion by attorney Martinez-
Aleman, to require the Board to advance a broader, more thorough, proposal that will expand
the eligibility criteria for foreign-educated graduates. We conclude that the Board's proposed
amendments should be adopted. In reaching this conclusion, we note that the Board continues
to study how to balance the education standards for admission to the bar with the accreditation
standards for LL.M programs. The Board also continues to review admissions standards in
1
light of the on-going study by the National Conference of Bar Examiners regarding the bar
examination, in particular with respect to any impact on Minnesota's score for the Uniform
Bar Examination.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the attached amendments to the Rules for Admission
to the Bar are prescribed and promulgated as shown below. The amendments are effective as
of May 1, 2021.
Dated: March 1, 2021 BY THE COURT:
Lorie S. Gildea
Chief Justice
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AMENDMENTS TO THE RULES FOR ADMISSION TO THE BAR
[Note: In the following amendments, deletions are indicated by a line drawn through the words
and additions are indicated by a line drawn under the words.]
Rule 4. General Requirements for Admission
A. Eligibility for Admission. The applicant has the burden to prove eligibility for admission by
providing satisfactory evidence of the following:
(1) Age of at least 18 years ;
(2) Good character and fitness as defined by these Rules;
(3) E-ithet: One of the following :

(a) Graduation with a J.D. or LL.B. degree from a law school that is provisionally or fully
approved by the American Bar Association; &
(b) (i) a bachelor' s degree from an institution that is accredited by an agency recognized
by the United States Department of Education or foreign equivalent;
(ii) a J.D. degree or equivalent from a law school attended following completion of
undergraduate studies; loeated .Yithin any state or territory of the United States or the Distriet
1
of Columbia;
(iii) and that the applicant has been licensed to practice law in any state or territory of the
United States or the District of Columbia in 60 of the previous 84 months; and
(iv) the applicant has been engaged, as principal occupation, in the practice of law for 60
of the previous 84 months in one or more of the activities listed in Rule 7A(l)(c); or
(c) the applicant has been licensed to practice law in any state or territory of the United
States or the District of Columbia for at least 10 years.
(4) Passing score on the written examination under Rule 6 or qualification under Rules 7 A, 7B,
7C, 8, 9, or 10. An applicant eligible under Rule 4A(3)(b) but not under Rule 4A(3)(a) or
4A(3)(c) must provide satisfactory evidence of a passing score on the written examination
under Rule 6 and is not eligible for admission under Rules 7 A, 7B, 7C, 8, 9, or IO;
(5) A scaled score of 85 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination

(MPRE); and
(6) Not currently suspended or disbarred from the practice of law in another jurisdiction or any
foreign jurisdiction .
***
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RULE 10. ADMISSION BY HOUSE COUNSEL LICENSE
***
B. Eligibility. A lawyer licensed in another jurisdiction or the holder of a temporary house counsel
license issued pursuant to Rule 9B or 9C, who intends to practice in Minnesota for more than 12
months, may apply for a house counsel license when the lawyer:
***
(3) Complies with the eligibility provisions of Rule 4A(l), (2), (3)(a)_Q[__(£1, (4), (5), and
(6).
***

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STATE OF MINNESOTA March 1, 2021

ORDER PROMULGATING AMENDMENTS TO THE

establish eligibility for foreign-educated graduates to be admitted to the Minnesota bar. We

Dated: March 1, 2021 BY THE COURT:

Rule 4. General Requirements for Admission

(1) Age of at least 18 years ;

(2) Good character and fitness as defined by these Rules;

(3) E-ithet: One of the following :

(5) A scaled score of 85 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination

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