On August 7, 2024, 12 years after the original Resolution addressing military spouse licensure reciprocity, the American Bar Association renewed its dedication to and support of military spouse attorneys with ABA Resolution 602.
Resolution 602 reaffirms Resolution 12M108, urging all state and territorial bar admission authorities to adopt rules, regulations, and procedures that accommodate the unique needs of military spouse attorneys who move frequently in support of the Nation’s defense. This new resolution urges state supreme courts and their state and territorial bar admission authorities to: 1) adopt military spouse reciprocity requirements that require no more supervision requirements than those commensurate with attorneys admitted to that jurisdiction through normal admission processes; 2) process and complete a military spouse reciprocity application on an expedited and priority basis [within 90 days from the date of application submission]; 3) allow a military spouse to provide a copy of their servicemember’s military orders or a letter from the servicemember’s commanding officer indicating an upcoming permanent change of station to the relevant jurisdiction in order to submit a military spouse reciprocity application; 4) define a military spouse as the spouse of any Active Duty, Reserve, or Guard member in the uniformed service; and 5) waive the jurisdiction’s requisite application fees for all applicants seeking admission under the military spouse reciprocity rule.
A big thank you to the ABA Legal Assistance for Military Personnel (LAMP) Committee for sponsoring this Resolution and its continued partnership with MSJDN. Also, thank you to State Licensing Committee volunters Nicolle Vasquez Del Favaro, Heather Schallhorn, Kendall Gurule, and Rebecca Saathoff for devoting their time to creating the Resolution and Report that were passed unanimously by the ABA House of Delegates.
This is a huge win that will undoubtedly impact MSJDN’s continued state licensing efforts.
Click here to read Resolution 602.