On January 25, 2013, the North Carolina State Bar (NCSB) approved a rule providing unencumbered bar admission for military spouse attorneys. NCSB approval puts rule change in North Carolina one step closer to reality, and will now go to the North Carolina State Supreme Court for a vote in April 2013. This process began over a year and a half ago and has been guided by dedicated MSJDN members Rachel Sacks Winkler and Celeste Boyd.

The proposed North Carolina rule eliminates the bar exam requirement for military spouses who are licensed, active and in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction; expands the required time in practice from four out of six years to four out of eight years; gives military spouse applications priority; reduces the application fee; and allows applicants to practice while waiting for approval. We will have more details about the rule after the review and approval by the North Carolina State Supreme Court.

MSJDN would like to thank both the North Carolina Board of Law Examiners and the North Carolina State Bar for their assistance and dedication to the admission of military attorney spouses in North Carolina.  Additional thanks goes to former Governor Bev Perdue and the National Military Family Association for their support of MSJDN’s efforts in North Carolina.

Idaho and Arizona were among the first states to pass licensing accommodations for military spouses. Other states currently considering similar rule accommodations include California, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Maryland. If you are interested in supporting military families and working on rule change in your jurisdiction, contact us at milspouse.bar@gmail.com.