Cecily Zamora
Barack Obama is no longer a lawyer and is listed as retired and not authorized to practice law by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Obama surrendered his license in 2008, but this was not due to any disciplinary action or criminal charges. Instead, it was because he no longer needed an active law license for his work as a politician and, later, President of the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for Barack Obama's resignation | To escape charges of lying on his bar application |
| Year of resignation | 2008 |
| Status | Voluntarily retired |
| Ability to practice law | Not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services |
| Disciplinary proceedings | No disciplinary proceedings against Barack Obama |
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What You'll Learn
Barack Obama's law license status
Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, and was last registered in 2008. He elected to have his law license placed on inactive status in February 2007, four days after announcing his candidacy for president. He changed his status to retired in February 2009 after becoming president.
There have been false claims that Obama surrendered his license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, there is no evidence that Obama was forced to surrender his license or that he was the subject of any disciplinary proceedings.
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Accusations of lying on his bar application
Several sources allege that Barack Obama surrendered his law license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, fact-checking websites like Snopes, PolitiFact, and Reuters have debunked this claim.
According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Obama is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law." Similarly, Michelle Obama is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law."
In 2007, after announcing his candidacy for the presidency, Obama chose to have his law license placed on "voluntarily inactive" status. He changed it to voluntarily retired after becoming president in early 2009. This status change is common for lawyers who no longer need an active license for their work.
There is no evidence that Obama surrendered his law license due to disciplinary action or criminal charges. The Illinois State Bar Association continues to list the Obamas as honorary members, and there is no record of any disciplinary proceedings against them.
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Michelle Obama's law license status
There has been misinformation spread about Michelle Obama's law license status, with some alleging that she "voluntarily surrendered" her license in 1993 to avoid 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, after graduating. In 1994, while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago, she voluntarily chose to place her license on "inactive" status. This means that she still holds a valid law license but is not actively engaged in the legal profession.
According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Michelle Obama is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law." This status allows her to avoid the requirements of continuing legal education and paying annual fees.
Michelle Obama has never been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois, and there have been no public ethical charges brought against her. She could reactivate her license and practice law if she desired.
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The Obamas' law careers
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. Before entering politics, he worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland. He also taught at the University of Chicago Law School, where he was a Lecturer from 1992 to 1996 and a Senior Lecturer from 1996 to 2004. During his time at the University of Chicago, he taught three courses per year.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential campaign, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. After becoming president, he changed his status to "retired" in February 2009.
There have been false claims that Obama surrendered his law license in 2008 to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, this is not true, as lawyers who voluntarily change their registration status to inactive or retired are no longer authorized to practice law based on their Illinois license.
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 then joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin (also known as Sidley Austin LLP), where she met Barack Obama. She later left corporate law to work in public service, serving as assistant commissioner of planning and development in Chicago's City Hall. She also worked with organizations like Public Allies and the University of Chicago. In 1994, she voluntarily chose to place her law license on "inactive" status.
Michelle has also been the subject of false claims that she surrendered her law license in 1993 due to insurance fraud. These claims are untrue, and neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever faced attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois.
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The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
The ARDC's website provides up-to-date information on the status of lawyers' authority to practice law in Illinois. For instance, a search for Barack Obama on the ARDC website reveals that he is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law." Similarly, Michelle Obama is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law."
The ARDC also handles lawyer-discipline matters. In 2024, the ARDC received 4,706 requests for investigations involving 3,352 lawyers. As a result, the ARDC filed 46 formal disciplinary complaints before its Hearing Board and initiated 33 disciplinary and regulatory proceedings directly with the Illinois Supreme Court. That year, the Illinois Supreme Court disbarred 17 lawyers, suspended 36, censured five, and reprimanded two.
The ARDC is funded by an annual registration fee of $385 paid by Illinois attorneys. This fee is used to support various entities and initiatives, such as the Lawyers Trust Fund, the Lawyers' Assistance Program, and the ARDC's own regulatory activities. The ARDC also offers a discounted fee of $121 for lawyers admitted for less than three full years, recognizing the financial challenges faced by early-career lawyers.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Barack Obama elected to have his license placed on inactive status in 2007, and after becoming president, he opted to change his status to retired in 2009. He was not forced to surrender his license and was never the subject of any disciplinary proceedings.
Barack Obama changed his law license status to "retired" because he no longer needed an active law license for his work as president.
Yes, Barack Obama can return his law license to "active" status and practice law if he desires.
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