Alaska Bar. R. 5

As amended through March 21, 2024

Rule 5 - Requirements for Admission to the Practice of Law

Section 1.

(a) To be admitted to the practice of law in Alaska, an applicant must:

(1) pass the bar examination prescribed pursuant to Rule 4; be excused from taking the bar examination under Rule 2, Section 2; or transfer a UBE scaled score of 270 or above achieved on a UBE administered in any state, territory, or the District of Columbia within five years preceding the date of the application to the Alaska Bar Association;

(2) pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination by obtaining a scaled score of 80 at an examination taken not more than eight years prior to the applicant's Alaska application for admission;

(3) be found by the Board to meet the standard of character and fitness, as required pursuant to Rule 2(1)(d);

(4) be determined by the Board to be eligible in all other respects;

(5) pay prorated active membership dues for the balance of the year in which he or she is admitted, computed from the first day of admission;

(6) attend a presentation on attorney ethics as prescribed by the Board prior to taking the oath prescribed in Section 3 of this rule;

(7) file an affidavit as required by Bar Rule 64 stating that the applicant has read and is familiar with the Alaska Rules of Professional Conduct; and

(8) take the oath prescribed in Section 3 of this rule.

(b) Within 60 days after completion of the requirements stated in subparagraphs (a)(1), (2), (6), and (7) of Section 1 of this Rule, an applicant must file with the Alaska Bar Association the forms provided by the Board, formally accepting membership in the Association and admission to the practice of law in Alaska.

(c) The Board may conduct a character investigation of an applicant, or may continue such an investigation, after the applicant has been permitted to take, or has passed, the examination prescribed by the Board pursuant to Rule 4. The fact that the Board has permitted the applicant to take the examination, and has given the applicant notice that he or she has passed the examination, shall not thereafter preclude the Board from denying the admission of the applicant on the grounds of character and fitness as set forth in Bar Rule 2(1)(d).

(Amended by SCO 504(4) effective June 1, 1982; amended and renumbered by SCO 609 effective January 1, 1985; amended by SCO 1228 effective July 15, 1996; and by SCO 1488 effective April 15, 2003; and by SCO 1652 effective October 15, 2007)

Section 2. An applicant who fails to comply with the provisions of Section 1 of this Rule shall not be eligible for certification to the Supreme Court for admission and shall be deemed to have abandoned the application.

Section 3. Upon receiving certification of the eligibility of an applicant the Supreme Court may enter an order admitting the applicant as an attorney at law in all the courts of the state and to membership in the Alaska Bar Association. Each applicant ordered admitted to the practice of law shall take the following oath before any state or federal judicial officer:

I do swear or affirm:

I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Alaska;

I will respect courts of justice and judicial officers;

I will always be truthful and honorable in my practice of law;

I will not aid anyone in formulating or pursuing claims or defenses that are asserted in bad faith or are unfounded in fact or law;

I will never seek to mislead a judge, a jury, or another attorney by false statement or trickery;

I will be candid, fair, and courteous to courts, attorneys, parties, and witnesses;

I will not attack the honor or reputation of any person unless I am required to do so in order to obtain justice for my client.

Except as authorized or required by the Rules of Professional Conduct, I will preserve the secrets of my clients, and I will not engage in conduct that might impair my loyalty to a client;

I will uphold the honor and dignity of the legal profession;

And I will strive to improve both the law and the administration of justice.

A certificate of admission shall thereupon be issued to the applicant by the clerk of the court.

Alaska Bar. R. 5

Added by SCO 161 effective immediately; amended by SCO 346 effective 4/1/1979; by SCO 392 effective 1/1/1980; by SCO 402 effective 5/1/1980; and by SCO 5044 effective 6/1/1982; by SCO 971 effective 7/15/1989; by SCO 1083 effective 1/15/1992; by SCO 1087 effective 1/15/1992; by SCO 1146 effective 9/9/1993; by SCO 1148 effective 7/15/1994; by SCO 1153 effective 7/15/1994; by SCO 1229 effective 4/12/1996; by SCO 1378 effective 12/16/1999; and by SCO 1380 effective 4/15/2000; and by SCO 1808 effective 10/15/2013; and by SCO 1814 effective 1/1/2014; amended by SCO 1924 effective 10/15/2018; amended by SCO2002 effective 2/27/2023.