Cecily Zamora
There have been claims on social media that former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama lost their licenses to practice law for disciplinary reasons. These claims are false. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) website notes that the Obamas are not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois, but that is because Barack Obama elected to assume retired status and Michelle Obama elected to assume inactive status. Neither has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Status of Barack Obama's law license | Voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law |
| Status of Michelle Obama's law license | Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law |
| Reason for status change | Not stated by the Obamas, but common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practicing law |
| Annual fee to keep license active | $289 in 2012 (now $342) |
| Disciplinary proceedings against the Obamas | None |
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What You'll Learn
Barack Obama's law license status
Barack Obama is no longer a lawyer and is listed as "retired" and "not authorized to practice law" in Illinois. However, he was not stripped of his license and voluntarily chose to change his license status.
Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois that same year. He served as a professor at the UC Law School from 1992 until his election to the U.S. Senate in 2004.
In February 2007, after announcing his candidacy for the presidency, Obama chose to have his law license placed on “voluntarily inactive” status. After becoming president, he opted to change his status to “voluntarily 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." However, they can return to practicing law if they decide to do so. In the case of Obama, he would need 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 have been false claims on Facebook and other social media platforms that Obama surrendered his law license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, these claims have been fact-checked and debunked by organizations such as Reuters, Snopes, and FactCheck.org. James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, confirmed that the Obamas were "never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings."
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Michelle Obama's law license status
There have been rumors and misinformation circulating about the status of Michelle Obama's law license. Some Facebook and Twitter posts claim that she surrendered her license to practice law to escape charges of insurance fraud. However, these claims are false.
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, before voluntarily moving her license to inactive status in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago. This means that she still holds a valid law license but is not currently engaged in any professional activities that require it to be active.
The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois lists Michelle Obama as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law." This status is common for lawyers who do not intend to continue practicing law, and it does not indicate any wrongdoing or disciplinary issues. Michelle Obama could return to active status and practice law if she desired.
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Reasons for changing license status
It is a common misconception that both Barack and Michelle Obama surrendered their law licenses due to disciplinary proceedings or misconduct. This claim is false. The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) website states that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois. The Obamas are, however, not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois. This is because Barack Obama elected to assume retired status, and Michelle Obama elected to assume inactive status.
There are several reasons why a lawyer may choose to change their license status to retired or inactive. Firstly, it is fairly common for lawyers who do not intend to continue practicing law to go on inactive status. This status change can be made without petitioning the Illinois Supreme Court, unlike before 1999, when Supreme Court Rule 770 required a proceeding in court for any voluntary transfer to inactive status. Secondly, lawyers on retired status are exempt from paying an annual fee or taking classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement, which is necessary for lawyers with active licenses.
The Obamas have not publicly disclosed the reasons behind their decision to change their license status. However, it is important to note that lawyers who voluntarily change their registration status to inactive or retired are no longer authorized to practice law based on their Illinois license.
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Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) is an administrative agency that regulates Illinois lawyers. The ARDC's website has a "Lawyer Search" function that provides information on the current status of lawyers' authority to practice law in Illinois.
The ARDC's mission is to "preserve and advance the integrity of the legal profession through attorney registration and education, public outreach, restorative services, and, when necessary, attorney discipline." The ARDC aims to be a vital resource for both lawyers and the public. It has a strategic plan that reflects its efforts to adapt to dynamic times and outlines a path forward in three key areas: evolving and enhancing its programs, services, and reputation; elevating confidence in the legal profession; and building an innovative and adaptive organization.
The ARDC's activities include attorney registration and education, public outreach, and disciplinary actions when necessary. The ARDC's website offers on-demand recorded webcasts and free hours of professional responsibility Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit. In 2024, the ARDC issued 94,233 certificates of MCLE completion to Illinois lawyers, totaling 74,344.5 hours of professional responsibility MCLE credit earned.
The ARDC is funded by an annual registration fee of $385 paid by Illinois attorneys. This fee can be waived for lawyers facing economic hardship. The funds are allocated to various entities, including the Lawyers Trust Fund, the ARDC Client Protection Program, the Supreme Court's Commission on Professionalism, the Lawyers' Assistance Program, and the Supreme Court Commission on Access to Justice.
The ARDC's annual report provides comprehensive statistics on its registration activities, disciplinary caseload, financial condition, and progress on various initiatives. In 2024, the ARDC received 4,706 requests for investigations concerning 3,352 lawyers, resulting in 46 formal disciplinary complaints and 33 disciplinary and regulatory proceedings in the Illinois Supreme Court.
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False claims about the Obamas' law licenses
Several false claims have been made about the Obamas' law licenses. Posts on Facebook and a chain email claim that former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama both lost their licenses to practice law for disciplinary reasons. These claims are false.
Barack Obama did not "surrender his license back in 2008 to escape charges that he lied on his bar application." He is listed as “voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law,” which means he is not facing any disciplinary action and can return to active status if he desires.
Similarly, Michelle Obama did not "'voluntarily surrender' her law license in 1993 after a Federal Judge gave her the choice between surrendering her license or standing trial for insurance fraud." She is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law," which is a common status for lawyers who don't intend to continue practicing law. Michelle Obama is also not facing any disciplinary action, and she could return to active status if she wished.
The Illinois ARDC confirmed that "neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois." The false claims about the Obamas' law licenses have been circulating for several years and have been fact-checked by multiple organizations.
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Frequently asked questions
No, neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois. Barack Obama elected to assume retired status and Michelle Obama elected to assume inactive status.
The Illinois ARDC is the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission.
Barack Obama is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law," and Michelle Obama is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law."
The Obamas have not publicly stated why they changed the status of their licenses. However, it is common for lawyers who do not intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status.
To keep their licenses active, lawyers in Illinois must pay an annual fee (which was $289 in 2012 and is now $342) and take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement.
