Gavin Howe
Several US presidents have had legal backgrounds and have held law licenses prior to taking office. For example, Barack Obama, who became the 26th lawyer to occupy the White House, graduated from Harvard Law School and was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association in 1991. Four days after announcing his presidential campaign in 2007, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on inactive status, and then changed it to retired after becoming president in 2009. Similarly, Michelle Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988 and was admitted to the bar in Illinois the following year, voluntarily placed her license on inactive status in 1994. While it is not a requirement for presidents to give up their law licenses, some may choose to do so during their time in office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Presidents who were lawyers | Barack Obama, Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft, John Quincy Adams, James Polk, Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland, Richard Nixon |
| Presidents who were editors of the Harvard Law Review | Barack Obama |
| Presidents who were members of the ABA | William Howard Taft |
| Presidents who were presidents of bar associations | Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft |
| Presidents who were heads of bar associations | Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft |
| Presidents who gave up their law licenses | Barack Obama, Bill Clinton |
| Presidents who did not give up their law licenses | Michelle Obama |
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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 on December 17, 1991, and his Illinois Registration Status is listed as "Retired – not authorised to practice law or provide pro bono services". His last registered year was 2008, the year he was elected president.
Obama chose to have his law license placed on "inactive" status in February 2007, four days after he announced his presidential candidacy. He then elected to change his status to "retired" in February 2009, after becoming president.
Obama was not forced to surrender his license and was never subject to any disciplinary proceedings. He could return to practising law if he chose to do so.
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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. However, in 1994, while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago, she voluntarily chose to put her law license on "inactive" status.
Michelle Obama did not "surrender" or lose her license to practice law. She requested that her license be placed on “inactive” status, which means she still holds a valid law license but is not currently engaged in any professional activities that require it to be active. There is no evidence that she was forced to give up her license due to disciplinary proceedings or charges of insurance fraud.
The Illinois State Bar Association continues to list Michelle Obama as an honorary member. She could practice law again if she chose to do so.
It is worth noting that there were previous misconceptions about her license status due to online records listing her as "on court-ordered inactive status." However, this was clarified to be a result of a pre-1999 Illinois Supreme Court rule that required active lawyers to petition the court to change their registration status.
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Obama's law career before presidency
Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, had a notable law career before his presidency. Born in 1961, Obama enrolled at Harvard Law School in 1988, graduating magna cum laude in 1991. During his time at Harvard Law, Obama excelled as a student and was elected as the president of the Harvard Law Review for the 1990-1991 academic year, becoming the first African American president in the journal's history. This achievement brought him widespread media attention and led to a book deal for a book about race relations, which later evolved into a personal memoir, Dreams from My Father, published in 1995.
During his summers at Harvard Law, Obama worked as a summer associate at the law firms of Sidley Austin in 1989 and Hopkins & Sutter in 1990. It was during his summer internship at Sidley Austin that he met Michelle Robinson, whom he would later marry in 1992. After graduating from Harvard Law, Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association in December 1991. He then returned to Chicago, where he accepted a position as a civil rights attorney with the law firm Miner, Barnhill, and Galland (formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland). Concurrently, he also taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.
In addition to his legal work, Obama was actively involved in various organizations in Chicago. He was a founding member of the board of directors of Public Allies in 1992 and served on the boards of the Woods Fund of Chicago, the Joyce Foundation, and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. These memberships helped him build a network of influential liberal groups and community activists who later supported his political career. Obama also directed Illinois Project Vote, a voter registration drive aimed at increasing black turnout in the 1992 election.
In 1996, Obama launched his first campaign for political office, running for the Illinois Senate from the 13th district. He was elected to the Illinois Senate in 1996 and served until 2004, when he successfully ran for the US Senate. Obama's law license became inactive in 2007 when he announced his candidacy for president, and he changed it to "retired" status after becoming president in 2009.
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Michelle Obama's law career before First Lady
Michelle Obama, an American attorney and author, served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, from where she graduated in 1988. She was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on May 12, 1989.
Following her graduation, Michelle joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin, also known as Sidley Austin LLP, where she met her future husband, Barack Obama. They were among the few African Americans at the firm, and Michelle was assigned to mentor Barack, who was a summer associate at the time.
After working at Sidley & Austin for a few years, Michelle Obama decided to shift her focus to community service. She served as the assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall. Subsequently, she became the founding executive director of the Chicago chapter of Public Allies, an AmeriCorps program that prepares youth for public service. In 1994, while working for the Public Allies project, Michelle Obama voluntarily chose to place her law license on "inactive" status.
In 1996, Michelle joined the University of Chicago, where she served as the associate dean of student services and developed the university's first community service program. She later became the vice president of community and external affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Michelle Obama has been recognized for her initiatives as the first lady, which included supporting military families, advocating for working women, promoting national service, and encouraging education for international adolescent girls. She also played an active role in campaigning for her husband's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012.
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Other lawyer-presidents
It is not uncommon for US presidents to have a legal background. In fact, 26 presidents of the United States were attorneys before becoming Commander-in-Chief.
John Adams was a prominent lawyer who played a significant role in the early history of the United States. After graduating from Harvard, he worked as a teacher before turning to law. He became a skilled litigator, earning a reputation as one of the best lawyers in Massachusetts. Adams also played a key role in the creation of the US Constitution and was the country's first vice president and second president.
Thomas Jefferson was a statesman, lawyer, and professor. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and was the first Secretary of State. He established key principles of the justice system, including judicial review and jurisprudence.
Andrew Jackson was a self-taught lawyer who gained fame as a military leader during the War of 1812. While his actions as president were often criticised, his legal background helped him navigate complex political and social issues.
John Tyler was a practising lawyer in Virginia and was admitted to the bar in 1809. He served as Vice President and became the first vice president to assume the presidency after the death of President William Henry Harrison. Tyler was known for his strict interpretation of the US Constitution.
James A. Garfield passed the Ohio bar in 1861 and practised law for a short time before pursuing a career in politics. He was an Ohio State Senator and US Senator before becoming president. Garfield was assassinated shortly after taking office.
Grover Cleveland was a lawyer in Buffalo, New York, and eventually became a partner in the firm of Bass, Cleveland, and Bissell. He also served as the Sheriff of Erie County before serving two non-consecutive terms as the 22nd and 24th President of the United States. During his presidency, he focused on fiscal responsibility, tariff reform, and civil service reform.
Benjamin Harrison studied law at Miami University and was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1854. He worked as a lawyer in Indianapolis and served as a member of the Indiana State Senate before being elected to the US Senate. During his presidency, he signed the Sherman Antitrust Act into law, which regulated and promoted competition in the economy.
William McKinley began his career as a lawyer in Canton, Ohio, and later served as a prosecutor for Stark County, Ohio. As president, he passed the Gold Standard Act and guided the United States through the Spanish-American War, acquiring Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
Woodrow Wilson was a legal scholar and writer. He served as the President of Princeton University before his career in politics. Wilson established the Federal Reserve and passed the Clayton Antitrust Act, influencing modern law and the economy.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was a New York lawyer before entering politics. He guided the United States through the Great Depression and World War II and is responsible for social programs like Social Security and the New Deal.
Bill Clinton had a notable legal career as an attorney and law professor before becoming president.
Barack Obama was a noted constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago Law School with an emphasis on civil rights. Four days after announcing his presidential candidacy in February 2007, he voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status, and then retired status after becoming president in 2009.
It should be noted that, contrary to popular misinformation, neither Barack nor Michelle Obama surrendered their law licenses to escape disciplinary action. They were not forced to give up their licenses and were never the subject of any attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Barack Obama gave up his law license in 2008, the year he was elected president.
Yes, Michelle Obama gave up her license in 1993 or 1994.
No, the Obamas were not forced to give up their law licenses. They chose to do so voluntarily.
There is no definitive answer, but it is speculated that they did so to avoid disciplinary action or criminal charges. However, these claims have been disputed.
Barack Obama was the 26th lawyer to become president of the United States. Other lawyer-presidents include Richard Nixon, Grover Cleveland, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Harrison.
