Rule 56 - Number and Disposition of Applications; Approval by Board of Bar Examiners1. All applications for admission to practice law in Nevada shall be submitted in duplicate and filed with the admissions director of the state bar pursuant to subsection 1 of Rule 52. Upon receipt thereof, the admissions director shall transmit immediately one copy to the clerk of the supreme court. The remaining copy shall be retained by the admissions director for use in determining the applicant's qualifications for admission. (a) The admissions director of the state bar shall review the application to determine whether it has been completed and filed in compliance with the requirements of Rules 51 through 55. If an application is incomplete, the admissions director shall give the applicant one written notification of the deficiencies in the application. The applicant shall have 30 days from the date of mailing of the notice of the deficiencies, or until 30 days before the examination, whichever date is earlier, to cure the deficiencies and complete the application. If the application is not completed within the allotted time, the admissions director shall recommend to the board of bar examiners that the application be rejected. (b) If the admissions director recommends to the board of bar examiners that an application be rejected because it is not complete, the board may reject the application, and shall reject the application if the deficiencies in the application are such that the board cannot adequately and thoroughly investigate the applicant's morals, character, qualifications and fitness to practice law. (c) As provided in Rule 67, the admissions director shall reject the application if the applicant has previously been denied admission with prejudice in this state for failure to meet the necessary character requirements. (d) Only the board of bar examiners may recommend denial, with or without prejudice, of an application, pursuant to Rule 64, on the grounds that the applicant has failed to demonstrate good moral character and willingness to abide by high ethical standards, or that the applicant has failed to demonstrate that no past or present conduct or behavior exists that could call into question the applicant's ability to practice law in a competent, ethical, and/or professional manner or renders the applicant unfit to practice law. In the absence of the timely filing of a petition pursuant to the provisions of Rule 64, the court shall refuse to disturb such an adverse recommendation of the board. If the recommendation is to deny admission without prejudice, the board may impose conditions which the applicant must fulfill before the applicant will be permitted to file a subsequent application for admission to practice law. Further, the board shall recommend a period of time, not to exceed 5 years, before the applicant may reapply. (e) An applicant whose application has been rejected on grounds other than those stated in Rule 64, Rule 65.5, or Rule 70 may, within 30 days from the date of notification, file a verified petition for relief with the supreme court, which shall be accompanied by proof of service of a copy thereof upon the admissions director of the state bar and the chair of the board of bar examiners. Such petition shall contain a statement of facts accompanied by copies of all relevant documents, a statement of each ground upon which relief is alleged to be warranted, and legal points and authorities, setting forth the legal basis for each ground for relief alleged. If the court is of the opinion that relief should not be granted, it may deny the petition. Otherwise, the court may enter an order fixing the time within which an answer may be filed by the board of bar examiners. Should the court determine that the petitioner is entitled to relief, it may direct the board of bar examiners to process the application in accordance with Rules 57 to 75. 2. All applications not rejected by the admissions director shall be reviewed by the board of bar examiners along with any investigative reports or relevant documentation. No applicant for examination for a license to practice as an attorney and counselor at law in this state shall be eligible for examination until the applicant has received the written approval of the board of bar examiners. Except as otherwise provided in this rule and in Rule 65.5, the board of bar examiners shall not permit an applicant to be examined unless the applicant has fulfilled the requirements of Rules 51 through 55. 3. The board of bar examiners, in its discretion, may permit or refuse to permit an applicant whose verified application complies with the requirements of Rule 52 to take the bar examination if the board has not completed its investigation into the applicant's moral character or fitness for admission. If the board of bar examiners has refused to permit an applicant to take the bar examination because its investigation into the applicant's moral character or fitness for admission is not completed at the time of the bar examination, and the applicant subsequently receives final approval of the board, the applicant shall be permitted to take the bar examination next following such approval without submission of further fees or applications, except the board, in its discretion, may order further character or fitness reports, including fingerprint reports, on the applicant during the intervening period. If the board has permitted the applicant to take the examination, the board must complete its investigation and report its recommendation to the supreme court by June 1 of the year immediately following the date on which the applicant is successful on the July examination, or by January 1 of the year immediately following the date on which the applicant is successful on the February examination, unless the supreme court otherwise orders. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the board from calling to the attention of the court before final admission matters occurring subsequent to the final approval by the board or matters discovered subsequent to final approval.
4. An applicant may voluntarily withdraw the application for admission to practice law at any time prior to the date of the examination by filing a written notice of withdrawal with the admissions director. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3) of this rule, an applicant's failure to appear for the examination or to complete all admissions requirements by January 31 of the year following the date on which the July examination is given, or by August 31 of the year in which the February examination is given, shall constitute a withdrawal of the application. The admissions director shall immediately notify the clerk of the supreme court and the chair of the board of bar examiners of the withdrawal of an application, and shall also notify the applicant in those instances in which withdrawal of the application is due to the applicant's failure to appear for the examination or to complete all admissions requirements. Last amended effective 8/24/2015.