Cecily Zamora
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama are no longer authorized to practice law in Illinois. However, this is due to their voluntary decision to change their license status to inactive or retired rather than surrendering their licenses to escape disciplinary action. Barack Obama chose to place his license on “inactive” status after announcing his presidential candidacy in 2007 and changed it to “retired” after becoming president in 2009. Michelle Obama requested to have her license placed on “inactive” status in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago. There is no evidence that either of the Obamas was forced to surrender their licenses due to disciplinary proceedings or misconduct.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for forfeiting law license | To avoid charges of lying on his bar application |
| Year of forfeiting law license | 2008 |
| Status of law license | Voluntarily retired |
| Reason for Michelle Obama's inactive law license | To avoid charges of insurance fraud |
| Year of Michelle Obama's inactive law license | 1993 |
| Status of Michelle Obama's law license | Voluntarily inactive |
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What You'll Learn
Obama's law license status is voluntarily retired
There are several rumours circulating regarding former US President Barack Obama's law license status. Some Facebook posts claim that Obama surrendered his license to practise law to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, these claims are false.
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 Illinois state politics in 1996. After announcing his candidacy for the presidency in February 2007, Obama chose to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. Subsequently, after becoming president in 2009, he changed his status to "voluntarily retired".
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". This means that he cannot practise law or provide pro bono services. However, Obama was never the subject of any disciplinary proceedings and voluntarily chose to change his status.
Reactivating an inactive law license is a straightforward procedure. However, maintaining an active license incurs costs and requires the completion of Continuing Legal Education classes. Thus, it is common for lawyers who do not intend to practise law to switch to inactive or retired status.
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Obama had no need for an active law license
Barack Obama had no need for an active law license for the work he was engaged in after announcing his candidacy for the presidency in 2007. As such, he chose to have his law license placed on "voluntarily inactive" status. After becoming president in 2009, he opted to change his status to "voluntarily retired".
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 being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996, he worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland.
It is fairly common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status. In 2011, more than 12% of the state's 87,943 registered attorneys were on inactive status. In addition, prior to June 5, 2012, the Obamas would have been required to pay an annual fee of $289 (now $342), and take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement, to keep their licenses active. Lawyers on retirement status, however, don't have to pay an annual fee or take classes.
Obama is listed as "retired" and "not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services" on the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) website. Neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois.
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Obama's license was not surrendered to escape charges
Several sources debunk the claim that former US President Barack Obama surrendered his law license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. Obama chose to have his license placed on "voluntarily inactive" status in February 2007, four days after announcing his candidacy for president. He then changed his status to "voluntarily retired" in February 2009 after becoming president.
According to James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois, the Obamas were “never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings." The Illinois ARDC also confirmed that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever been the subject of attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois. The ARDC's website notes that the Obamas are not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois, but this is simply because Barack Obama elected to assume retired status and Michelle Obama elected to assume inactive status. Both could return to active status and practice law if they desired.
The Illinois State Bar Association continues to list the Obamas as honorary members, and there is no evidence that they were forced to give up their licenses due to any disciplinary proceedings. In fact, it is fairly common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practicing law to go on inactive status. Reactivating an inactive law license is also a fairly easy procedure, and it costs money to maintain an active license.
Similar false claims about the Obamas' law licenses have been circulating on social media and have been fact-checked by organizations such as Snopes, FactCheck.org, PolitiFact, and Reuters.
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Obama is not authorised to practice law or provide pro bono services
Former US President Barack Obama is no longer authorised to practice law or provide pro bono services. According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Obama is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorised to practice law".
Obama graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991 and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on December 17, 1991. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential candidacy, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. After becoming president, he changed his status to "retired" in February 2009.
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 petitioning the Illinois Supreme Court, and it exempts lawyers from paying annual fees and taking continuing legal education classes.
Obama's decision to change his law license status was not due to any disciplinary proceedings or charges of lying on his bar application, as some misinformation claims have suggested. The Illinois State Bar Association continues to list Obama as an Honorary Member.
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Obama's license status is common for lawyers who don't intend to practice
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 running for president in 2007. Four days after announcing his candidacy, Obama elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. After becoming president, he changed his status to "retired" in February 2009.
Obama's decision to change his license status is not unusual. According to James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, it is common for lawyers who don't intend to practice law to go on inactive status. This rule change means lawyers no longer need to petition the Illinois Supreme Court to switch to inactive status. In 2011, more than 12% of the state's registered attorneys were on inactive status.
Inactive and retired lawyers are not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services. They also don't have to pay annual fees or take Continuing Legal Education classes, which are required to maintain an active license. Reactivating an inactive law license is a straightforward process, and a retired lawyer is still commonly referred to as a lawyer, even if they are no longer a member of the bar.
Michelle Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988, also requested that her license be placed on "inactive" status in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago. She is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law." Like her husband, Michelle Obama was not forced to surrender her license and could return to active status if she desired.
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Frequently asked questions
No, this is false. Obama elected to have his license placed on "inactive status" after he announced his candidacy for president in 2007 and changed it to "retired" after becoming president in early 2009.
No, this is also false. Michelle Obama requested that her license be placed on "inactive status". She is on voluntarily inactive status and not authorized to practice.
It is common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practicing law to go on inactive status. Being an active status lawyer costs more money than being inactive, and it requires one to do Continuing Legal Education classes.
No, they were not. The Illinois State Bar Association continues to list the Obamas as honorary members of the organization.
