Maryland Rules Governing the State Board of Law Examiners and the Bar Admissions Process

Bar admission rules for first-time applicants and returning applicants who did not pass a Maryland General Bar Exam or Maryland Out of State Attorneys Exam given before March 1, 2019

Maryland Bar Admission Rules on government.westlaw.com

Board Rule 9 (Essential Eligibility Requirements) (Word) (PDF)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-102(d), the State Board of Law Examiners give notice that, on March 21, 2023, the State Board of Law Examiners approved new Board Rule 9, which establishes essential eligibility requirements to be considered by the Board and the Character Committees when determining whether an applicant or petitioner for admission to the Maryland Bar meets the applicable burden of proof.

AMENDED Maryland Rule 19-207 (Notice of Intent to Transfer a Qualifying UBE Score) (Word) (PDF)

In a Rules Order dated March 30, 2020, the Court of Appeals amended Maryland Rule 19-207 to add subsection (c), which establishes a filing deadline for the Notice of Intent to Transfer a Qualifying UBE Score to Maryland. Pursuant to the amended Rule, the Notice of Intent must be filed prior to the expiration of the 3-year period when the UBE score upon which the transfer is based constitutes a qualifying UBE score pursuant to Board Rule 5. The amended Rule goes into effect on July 1, 2021 and applies to Notices of Intent to Transfer a Qualifying UBE Score based on qualifying UBE scores earned in July 2018 (which expire July 31, 2021) and thereafter.

REVISED Board Rule 5 (Examination Format, Qualifying UBE Score and Grading) (Word) (PDF)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-102(d), the State Board of Law Examiners give notice that, on June 11, 2021, the State Board of Law Examiners approved revisions to Board Rule 5 as it applies to applicants who will file Notices of Intent to Transfer a Qualifying UBE Score based on qualifying UBE scores earned in July 2018 and thereafter. THIS REVISED BOARD RULE 5 BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON JULY 26, 2021 AND SUPERCEDES THE VERSION LISTED ON GOVERNMENT.WESTLAW.COM AND IN PRINTED RULES VOLUMES.

Board Rule 7 (Qualifying LLM) for applicants not passing a Maryland Bar Exam administered before March 1, 2019. (Word) (PDF)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-102(d), the State Board of Law Examiners give notice that, on June 11, 2021, the State Board of Law Examiners approved revisions to Board Rule 7 as it applies to applicants who have graduated from a non-ABA-approved law school and seek an eligibility waiver to take the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) in Maryland in February 2022 and beyond. The revisions conform paragraph (b)(1) of the Board Rule with paragraph (a) of the Board Rule. THIS REVISED BOARD RULE 7 BECOMES EFFECTIVE ON JULY 26, 2021 AND SUPERCEDES THE VERSION LISTED ON GOVERNMENT.WESTLAW.COM.

Board Rule 6 (MPRE) for applicants not passing a Maryland Bar Exam administered before March 1, 2019. (Word) (PDF)

Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-102(d), the State Board of Law Examiners give notice that, on January 25, 2019, the State Board of Law Examiners approved revisions to Board Rule as it applies to applicants who will take the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) in Maryland in July 2019 and beyond and to applicants who will seek to transfer a qualifying UBE score to Maryland beginning on July 1, 2019 or to petition for admission without examination beginning July 1, 2019. THIS REVISED BOARD RULE 6 SUPERCEDES THE VERSION LISTED ON GOVERNMENT.WESTLAW.COM.

Bar admission rules for applicants who pass(ed) a Maryland General Bar Exam or Maryland Out-of-State Attorney’s Exam given before March 1, 2019

The bar admissions process for Maryland bar applicants and petitioners who pass or have passed a Maryland General Bar Examination or Maryland Out-of-State Attorney’s Examination administered prior to March 1, 2019 (i.e., individuals who pass their exam in February 2019 or passed an exam in July 2018 or earlier) shall be governed by Maryland Rules 19-101 to 19-105 and Maryland Rules 19-201 to 19-213 and the Rules of the Board that are set forth in the 178th Rules Committee Report, Part III, and enacted by the Court’s Rule’s Order of June 6, 2016. Those Rules may be found HERE at pages 8-65 (Court Rules) and pages 87-106 (Board Rules). After March 1, 2019, these Rules will continue to govern each such applicant and petitioner until he or she is admitted, or is denied admission pursuant to Rule 19-203, or withdraws the application or petition pursuant to Rule 19-202(f) or Rule 19-213(g).