Cameron Miranda
There have been many rumors circulating about former US President Barack Obama's ability to practice law. Posts on social media claim that Obama surrendered his license to practice law to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, these claims are false. Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, and worked as a civil rights lawyer before entering politics. He voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on inactive status in 2007, before his presidential campaign. He is currently listed as retired and not authorized to practice law, but this does not indicate any disciplinary action, and he could return to active status if he desired.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Barack Obama's Illinois Registration Status | "Retired - not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services" |
| Barack Obama's last registered year | 2008 |
| Barack Obama's Public Record of Discipline and Pending Proceedings | "None" |
| Michelle Obama's Illinois Registration Status | "Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law" |
| Michelle Obama's last registered year | 1993 |
| Michelle Obama's Public Record of Discipline and Pending Proceedings | "None" |
| Reason for the Obamas' change in registration status | Not specified |
| Common reason for lawyers to change to inactive status | No intention to continue practicing law |
| Annual fee to keep licenses active | $342 |
| Requirements to keep licenses active | Take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement |
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What You'll Learn
Barack Obama's law license status
Barack Obama is no longer a practising lawyer. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association and licensed to practice law in Illinois on December 17, 1991. However, he is no longer authorised to practice law in Illinois.
Obama's registration status with the Illinois State Bar Association is listed as “retired”, and he is “not authorised to practice law or provide pro bono services”. He last registered with the Illinois State Bar Association in 2008, the year he was elected president.
Obama chose to have his law license placed on "voluntarily inactive" status in February 2007, after announcing his candidacy for the presidency. After becoming president, he opted to change his status to "voluntarily retired". This status means that Obama could return to practising law if he decides to do so. He would have to submit a written or online notification stating that he intended to return to active status and pay the registration fee for each year that he was retired.
There were rumours that Obama surrendered his license to practise law to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, these rumours are false. A court official confirmed that no public disciplinary proceedings have ever been brought against Obama.
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Michelle Obama's law license status
Michelle Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988 and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on May 12, 1989. She joined Sidley Austin, a corporate law firm in Chicago, after graduating. In 1994, while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago, she voluntarily had her license placed on "inactive" status.
Michelle Obama is currently listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law" by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. This means she still holds a valid law license but is not currently engaged in any professional activities that require it to be active.
There have been false claims that Michelle Obama surrendered her law license in 1993 to avoid charges of insurance fraud. However, a court official has confirmed that no public disciplinary proceedings have ever been brought against her. By voluntarily inactivating her license, she avoids the requirement to take continuing education classes and pay annual fees. She could reactivate her license and practice law if she chose to do so.
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Reasons for the Obamas' law license status changes
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 entering politics and being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his candidacy for the presidency, Obama chose to have his law license placed on "voluntarily inactive" status. After becoming president, he changed his status to "voluntarily retired".
Obama's Illinois Registration Status now reads: "Retired - not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services". His last registered year was 2008, the year he was elected president.
Michelle Obama was admitted to the bar on May 12, 1989. Her Illinois registration status is "Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law" and she was last registered in 1993.
The Obamas have not stated the exact reasons for changing the status of their licenses. However, James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, said it was common for lawyers who didn't intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status. Grogan also confirmed that the Obamas were “never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings".
There have been false claims on social media that the Obamas surrendered their licenses to escape charges of lying on a bar application (Barack) and insurance fraud (Michelle). However, these claims are based on misreadings of information about license status and erroneous interpretations.
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The possibility of the Obamas reactivating their licenses
There has been a lot of speculation about the status of the Obamas' law licenses. Both Barack and Michelle Obama are currently not 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 escape disciplinary action. In fact, according to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of Illinois, there have never been any disciplinary actions against either Barack or Michelle Obama.
The Obamas have not publicly stated the reasons behind their decision to change the status of their licenses. However, James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the ARDC, has stated that it is fairly common for lawyers who do not intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status. This status change can be made without having to petition the Illinois Supreme Court. Additionally, maintaining an active law license requires paying annual fees and taking continuing legal education classes, which may not be necessary for individuals who do not intend to practice law.
Both Barack and Michelle Obama could reactivate their licenses and practice law if they desired. According to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756, an attorney on retired status can request to move back to active status. Similarly, those on voluntary inactive status can ask the court for restoration to active status. Therefore, the possibility of the Obamas reactivating their licenses exists, but it is unknown if they intend to do so.
In conclusion, while the Obamas' law licenses are currently inactive or retired, this is a common choice for lawyers who do not intend to practice law, and it does not indicate any disciplinary issues. The Obamas have the option to reactivate their licenses in the future if they choose to do so.
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The Obamas' law careers
Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois the same year. Before he became president, Obama worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also worked as a lecturer and senior lecturer of constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School. Obama was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review, and he published several writings during his time at Harvard, including a case comment in the Harvard Law Review and an article in Illinois Issues.
Four days after announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. He is currently listed as "retired" and "not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services" in Illinois.
Michelle Obama, the wife of Barack Obama and former first lady of the United States, studied law at Princeton University and Harvard Law School, graduating in 1988. She then worked as a junior associate at the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin (now Sidley Austin LLP), where she specialized in intellectual property law and later met Barack Obama. In 1991, she decided to pursue a more public-service-oriented career path and became an assistant to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. She also served in several positions in Chicago city government in the 1990s, including assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall. From 1996 until she became first lady, Michelle Obama worked at the University of Chicago, holding positions such as associate dean of student services and vice president of community and external affairs.
Michelle Obama is currently listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law" in Illinois. However, it is important to note that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois, and they could return to active status and practice law if they desired.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Barack Obama is not authorized to practice law. He was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, but his registration status is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law."
No, Michelle Obama is also not authorized to practice law. She was admitted to the Illinois bar on May 12, 1989, but her registration status is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law."
The Obamas haven't disclosed the exact reason for changing their license status. However, it's speculated that they chose to do so because they didn't intend to continue practicing law, and maintaining an active license incurs costs and requires continuing legal education.
