Attorney Admission on Examination

A person who has been admitted as an attorney of the highest court of any state, district, or territory of the United States for at least five (5) years who applies for admission in this state shall only be required to take the essay portion of the Rhode Island Bar Examination upon the applicant's compliance with the following condi- tions: (a) He/She shall electronically file, under oath, with the Clerk of the Supreme Court the Petition for Admission to the Rhode Island Bar available on the Rhode Island Supreme Court Attorney Portal and shall satisfy the Board that he/she meets the requirements of subdivisions (a), (b), and (d) of Rule 1; and (b) He/She has been engaged in the full-time active practice of law for at least five (5) years of the last ten (10) years immediately preceding filing of his or her petition; or Page 1 of 21 Revised January 6, 2026 (c) He/She has been engaged in the full-time teaching of law at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association for at least five (5) years of the last ten (10) years immediately preceding the filing of his/her petition. (d) Said applicant shall provide the Court with a certificate of admission from the highest judicial court of each state, district, or territory, of which the applicant is admitted, and shall submit to a character investigation conducted by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. Individuals must achieve a total scaled score of 135 or higher on the examination to be eligible for admission to this state’s bar pursuant to this rule.