Obama's Law Career: Past, Present, And Future Prospects

There have been many claims and rumours about the status of Barack and Michelle Obama's law licenses. It is true that neither of them holds an active license to practice law. Barack Obama is listed as voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law, while Michelle Obama is listed as voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law. However, it is not true that either of them surrendered their licenses to escape charges or avoid disbarment. Both could return to active status and practice law if they desired.

Barack Obama's law license status

Barack Obama is no longer a lawyer. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association and licensed to practice law in Illinois on December 17, 1991. However, four days after he announced his presidential bid in February 2007, he voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive status". After winning the election, he changed his license status to "retired".

According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, lawyers who voluntarily change their registration status to inactive or retired "may not practice law based upon their Illinois license or hold themselves out as being so authorized". Obama's license status is listed as “voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law”. His last registered year was 2008, the year he was elected president.

However, this does not mean that Obama has lost or surrendered his license. A court official and the Illinois ARDC confirmed that no public disciplinary proceeding has ever been brought against him. Obama could practice law again if he chose to do so. By voluntarily inactivating his license, he avoids the requirement to take continuing education classes and pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees.

Michelle Obama's law license status

There are several rumours circulating online about the status of Michelle Obama's law license. Some social media posts claim that Michelle Obama surrendered her law license in 1993 to avoid charges of insurance fraud. However, this is false.

Michelle Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988 and was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of Illinois on May 12, 1989. She joined Sidley Austin, a corporate law firm in Chicago, after graduating. Michelle Obama requested that her license be placed on ""inactive" status in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago. According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, she is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law."

Michelle Obama is not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois, but this is because she elected to assume inactive status. She could return to active status and practice law if she desired. By voluntarily inactivating her license, she avoids the requirement to take continuing education classes and pay hundreds of dollars in annual fees.

Reasons for changing license status

Barack and Michelle Obama are not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois. Barack Obama is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law", while Michelle Obama is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law". However, this does not mean that they have surrendered their law licenses or that they did so to avoid disciplinary action.

The Obamas have not publicly stated the reasons for changing their license status. However, there are several possible reasons for their decision. One reason could be to avoid the requirement to take continuing education classes and pay annual fees. By changing their status to retired or inactive, they no longer need to complete an annual registration process or pay the accompanying fees. This is a common reason for lawyers who do not intend to continue practising law to switch to inactive status. In 2011, more than 12% of the state's registered attorneys were on inactive status.

Another possible reason for the Obamas' decision could be to focus on their political careers. Barack Obama placed his law license on inactive status in 2007, the same year he announced his presidential campaign. After winning the election, he changed his license status to retired. Michelle Obama's last registered year was 1993, around the time she became the First Lady of the United States.

It is important to note that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois. Both could return to active status and practise law if they desired.

Requirements to keep an active license

While the requirements to keep an active law license vary across different jurisdictions, there are some common prerequisites. In most states in the US, for example, attorneys must graduate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. In addition, some states have their own unique requirements. For instance, California demands three or four years of study at an ABA-accredited law school, four years of study at a state bar-fixed facility, or four years of study with a minimum of 864 hours of preparation at a registered school.

To maintain an active law license in Illinois, where both Barack and Michelle Obama were admitted to the bar, lawyers must pay an annual fee (which was $289 in 2011 and rose to $342) and take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement. However, lawyers who are on retirement status are exempt from these requirements.

In Oregon, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire, students can become licensed attorneys without taking any bar exam. In Oregon, graduates of ABA-accredited law schools can create a portfolio of legal work and submit it for evaluation to the Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners. In Wisconsin and New Hampshire, the requirements are different, but unspecified.

In Botswana, to maintain an active law license, a Bachelor of Laws degree is required, which is earned through a five-year undergraduate program, with the fifth year as an internship. After completing this program, lawyers must complete a period of practical legal training and pass an admissions examination.

In Egypt, to keep a law license active, lawyers must have Egyptian nationality, full civil capacity, no disciplinary findings against them, and be of good conduct and reputation. They must also pass a medical examination to ensure fitness for the profession and pay the relevant registration fees and annual subscriptions. After obtaining a law degree, they must undertake two years of practical training as a trainee lawyer and plead a minimum of 25 cases.

In Ethiopia, all undergraduate students must complete the Law School Exit Examination to graduate. After graduating, they must pass an exam to obtain the relevant law license. In addition, the Regions and the federal government issue their own licenses for the practice of law.

In Kosovo, there is a distinction between "domestic lawyers" and "foreign lawyers." Domestic lawyers must be citizens of Kosovo, have a four-year bachelor's in law or a master's in law, and complete a legal internship or show two years of law-related experience. Foreign lawyers must have been licensed for at least five years in a US or EU jurisdiction or in a country that permits Kosovar lawyers to practice and must pass an abridged test and pay higher fees.

The possibility of the Obamas practicing law again

There has been much speculation about the status of the Obamas' law licenses, with some false rumors circulating that they were forced to surrender them to avoid disciplinary action or criminal prosecution. However, this is not true. Both Barack and Michelle Obama voluntarily changed their registration status to inactive or retired, which means they are not authorized to practice law in Illinois.

Barack Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on December 17, 1991. He worked as a civil rights lawyer before being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996. In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential run, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. After winning the election, he changed the status of his license to "retired."

Michelle Obama, who also obtained her law license in 1989, is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law." Her last registered year was 1993.

According to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756, an attorney may file a written request to be placed on retired status, which removes the obligation to complete an annual registration process and pay the accompanying fees. This rule also allows a retired attorney to later return to active status and practice law if they desire. Those on "'voluntary inactive status,' like Michelle Obama, can also ask the court for restoration to active status.

Therefore, while neither Barack nor Michelle Obama currently holds an active license to practice law, both could potentially return to active status and practice law again if they chose to do so.

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