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"post_content": "Anyone have any thoughts as to how to discuss getting licensed in other jurisdictions? I passed the bar exam last July and my UBE score is eligible for every nearby state. I am at a midlaw NE firm with an office the next state over and an office in DC. I am wondering how I can address transferring my score to a state (regardless of whether we have an office there) without making it seem like I am about to leave, as I just joined the firm and am very happy there so far.",
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I know you just joined, but do you have a sense of whether the firm needs attys licensed in other states or someone you could ask? People will ask in conflict checks whether we have someone licensed in X state every once in awhile and someone who just started wouldn’t have that on their radar. Otherwise, where the firm’s current clients are located and where they regularly have litigation should speak to whether it would be of any value.
I would do some research and then ask a mentor. Frame it as being interested in the firm’s clients and needs because you have a limited amount of time to transfer the score. Keep in mind many are able to be admitted on motion after 3-5 years of practice anyway and maybe it was the added annual fees and CLE requirements on top of the application fee that made it not worth it. Do that research so you know the cost to the firm in $ and time as well as whether any of the states you have in mind have funky rules about licensure/use of local counsel. We’ve had people get admitted to some seemingly random jurisdictions because a state agency pre-litigation required submissions come from an attorney licensed in the state and have significant involvement. If a client has a presence there and is a repeat player, it makes sense to cut the local counsel costs.
You have plenty of time to think about it too. If there’s a state near you that doesn’t allow attorneys to waive in based on years of practice that could be a good option too.
TBH, I transferred to another UBE state and paid on my own so I could avoid the convo with my previous firm. Spoiler: I left the previous firm and joined a firm in current state that I transferred into.
That’s fair. Im not sure I want to stay in my current state for my entire career also, but I am good here for the foreseeable future.
i am also curious about UBE transfers, i took MD and want to transfer to DC but have no need to yet (happy at my DC job where DC specific bar is not needed and the DMV area is pretty transferable) and don’t want to pay double bar dues, but i also don’t want to wait too long