Cameron Miranda
Former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama are no longer authorized to practice law in Illinois. Barack Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, and worked as a civil rights lawyer before entering politics. Four days after announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on inactive status, and then changed it to “retired” in February 2009. Michelle Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1988, was admitted to the Illinois bar on May 12, 1989, and joined the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin. She voluntarily changed her license status to inactive in 1994. Both Barack and Michelle Obama could return to active status and practice law if they desired.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for Obama losing his law license | Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status in February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential run. He then changed his status to "retired" in February 2009 after becoming president. |
| Misinformation about the reason for Obama losing his law license | Some sources claim that Obama surrendered his license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, this claim is false, as there have never been any disciplinary actions against Obama. |
| Michelle Obama's law license status | Michelle Obama's license is listed as "voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law." She voluntarily changed her registration status in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago. |
| Misinformation about Michelle Obama's law license status | Some sources claim that Michelle Obama surrendered her law license due to insurance fraud. However, this claim is false, as there have never been any disciplinary actions against her. |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Barack Obama's law license status
Barack Obama is a graduate of Harvard Law School and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois on December 17, 1991. He worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland before entering politics.
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.
Obama is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services" by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. This means he is not allowed to practice law based on his Illinois license.
There have been false claims on Facebook that Obama surrendered his license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. However, there have never been any disciplinary actions against him, and he was not subject to any attorney disciplinary proceedings in Illinois.
Real Estate License Exemptions: Who's Exempt from the Law?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Reasons for changing status
There are several reasons why former lawyers of Donald Trump have lost their licenses to practice law.
Kenneth Chesebro, a former lawyer for Donald Trump, had his license suspended by a New York appeals court due to his involvement in the Fulton County district attorney's racketeering case. Chesebro pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit filing false documents in relation to efforts to subvert the 2020 election results.
Rudy Giuliani, another former lawyer for Trump, was disbarred in New York and Washington, D.C., for his efforts to overthrow the 2020 election.
Conservative lawyer John Eastman, who was among the co-defendants in the Fulton County racketeering case, was also suspended from practicing law in California and Washington, D.C. He was recommended for disbarment by a California State Bar Court Judge, who stated that he failed to "demonstrate that he no longer presents a threat to the public."
These lawyers lost their licenses due to their involvement in efforts to subvert the 2020 election results, which were deemed unlawful and a threat to the public.
Evansville University: Law Programs Explored
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Requirements for keeping licenses active
Former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama are no longer authorized to practice law in Illinois. However, this is because they chose to change their license status to "retired" and "inactive," respectively, and not due to disciplinary proceedings or charges of lying on a bar application or insurance fraud, as some rumours claim.
To keep a law license active, lawyers must meet certain requirements, which may vary depending on the state and the specific type of license held. Here are some general requirements for keeping a law license active:
- Paying annual or biennial registration fees. In Minnesota, for example, there are three active fee statuses based on the lawyer's admission year and income.
- Completing a certain number of continuing education classes or credits each registration cycle.
- Fulfilling pro bono work requirements, which may include seeking necessary training for competent representation in multiple areas.
- Maintaining good standing with the Lawyer Registration Office, including keeping contact information up to date.
- Complying with other representations in the registration process, such as disclosing any outstanding child support debts, disciplinary actions, criminal charges, malpractice insurance status, and the presence of a trust account.
- In some states, lawyers may need to affirm that they have not been disciplined or charged with professional misconduct.
It is important to note that lawyers who do not intend to practice law in a specific state may elect to change their status to inactive, which may come with different requirements and restrictions on practicing law in that state.
Daycare Licensing: New York's Strict Regulations Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Misinformation about surrendering licenses
Several sources have debunked the misinformation that the Obamas surrendered their law licenses due to misconduct or malpractice. A Facebook post that has been shared thousands of times since 2012 claims that Barack Obama "surrendered his license back in 2008 to escape charges that he lied on his bar application". Meanwhile, it is alleged that Michelle Obama "voluntarily surrendered her law license in 1993 after a federal judge gave her the choice between surrendering her license or standing trial for insurance fraud".
However, these claims are false. The Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of Illinois states that neither Barack nor Michelle Obama has ever faced attorney disciplinary proceedings in the state. Barack Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status in February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential run, and changed it to “retired" status in February 2009 after becoming president. Michelle Obama voluntarily changed her license status to "inactive" in 1994 while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago.
According to the rules of the Illinois Supreme Court, lawyers who are on “voluntary inactive status” can request the court to restore them to active status. Additionally, lawyers on “retired" status are not authorised to practice law or provide pro bono services, and they are not required to pay annual fees or take classes to maintain their licenses.
Indiana's Laws on Suspended Licenses Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
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 the Chicago law firm Sidley & Austin (also known as Sidley Austin), where she later met her husband, Barack Obama. However, a few years later, in 1994, while working for the Public Allies project in Chicago, she voluntarily chose to place her law license on "inactive" status.
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 means that she cannot practice law based on her Illinois license and cannot hold herself out as being authorized to do so.
It is important to address the false claim that Michelle Obama "voluntarily surrendered" her law license in 1993 to avoid charges of insurance fraud. This claim has been fact-checked and debunked by multiple sources, including FactCheck.org, Reuters, and Snopes. There have never been any disciplinary actions or proceedings against Michelle Obama, and she could return to active status and practice law if she desired.
Michelle Obama has had a distinguished career as a lawyer, writer, and First Lady of the United States. She has been a role model for women and an advocate for various initiatives, including healthy families, service members, higher education, and international adolescent girls' education.
Law License Issuance in North Carolina
You may want to see also
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. There is no evidence that supports the claim that Obama was forced to give up his law license.
No, this is also false. Michelle Obama requested that her license be placed on "inactive" status. A lawyer who has voluntarily gone on inactive status still holds a valid law license but is not currently engaged in any professional activities that require it to be active.
No. Both Barack and Michelle Obama changed their registration status voluntarily and remain in good standing with the Illinois Bar Association. There are no public records of any disciplinary proceedings or pending proceedings against either of them.
