Cameron Miranda
Former US President Barack Obama is listed as voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois. Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, and was last registered in 2008, the year he was elected president. There were no disciplinary actions against him, and he chose to change his status to retired in February 2009.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for losing law license | False claims that he surrendered his license to escape charges of lying on his bar application |
| Date of losing license | 2008 |
| Status of license | Voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law |
| Disciplinary proceedings | None |
| Reason for change in status | To avoid requirements for continuing education and paying annual fees |
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What You'll Learn
Obama's law license status is voluntarily retired
Barack Obama's law license status is listed as "voluntarily retired and not authorized 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. Four days after announcing his presidential run in February 2007, he voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. Subsequently, after becoming president, he changed his status to "retired" in February 2009.
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" are not permitted to practice law based on their Illinois license or represent themselves as authorized to do so. However, this does not imply that Obama surrendered his license or was subject to disciplinary proceedings. In fact, James Grogan, deputy administrator and chief counsel for the ARDC, confirmed that the Obamas were "never the subject of any public disciplinary proceedings."
The decision to change the status of a law license is often made by lawyers who do not intend to continue practicing law. This status change can be practical, as it eliminates the need to pay annual fees or take continuing legal education classes, which are requirements for maintaining an active license.
It is important to clarify that the status of "voluntarily retired" for Barack Obama means that he is not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services in Illinois. However, this does not necessarily preclude him from practicing law in other jurisdictions, depending on their specific regulations and requirements.
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He is not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services
Barack Obama is a graduate of Harvard Law School and was admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of Illinois in 1991. He worked as a civil rights lawyer before entering politics and being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996. In 2007, four days after announcing his presidential campaign, Obama elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. After becoming president, he changed his status to "retired" in 2009.
Obama's license status means he is "not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services." However, this does not mean he "lost" his license. It is fairly common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practicing law to go on inactive status. This status change means Obama is not required to pay an annual fee or take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement.
There have been false claims on social media 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 voluntarily chose to change his license status.
Obama could return to active status and practice law if he desired. His status as a retired lawyer simply means he is not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services at this time.
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Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association in 1991
Barack Obama was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association on December 17, 1991, the same year he graduated from Harvard Law School. He worked as a civil rights lawyer at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland before being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996.
Obama's status with the Illinois State Bar Association is listed as “voluntarily retired and not authorized to practice law". He elected to change his status to "inactive" four days after announcing his presidential run in February 2007, and then to "retired" after becoming president in February 2009.
There is no evidence that Obama surrendered his license due to disciplinary reasons or to escape charges, as has been claimed in various online posts. A court official and the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) confirmed that no public disciplinary proceedings have ever been brought against him.
Obama's change in status was likely due to his political career, as it is no longer necessary for him to practice law, and it allows him to avoid requirements such as continuing education classes and annual fees. He could return to active status and practice law again if he chose to do so.
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He changed his license status to inactive in 2007
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 he was 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.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential bid, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. He then changed his status to "retired" in February 2009, after becoming president.
According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of Illinois, there have never been any disciplinary actions against Obama. The Illinois ARDC website notes that Obama is not currently authorized to practice law in Illinois because he elected to assume retired status. He could return to active status and practice law if he wanted to.
It is fairly common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status. Prior to June 5, 2012, Obama would have had to pay an annual fee of $289 (now $342) and take classes to satisfy the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement to keep his license active. Lawyers on retirement status don't have to pay an annual fee or take classes.
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There were no disciplinary actions against Obama
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 at the firm formerly known as Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland before being elected to the Illinois state Senate in 1996.
In February 2007, four days after announcing his presidential campaign, Obama voluntarily elected to have his law license placed on "inactive" status. Following his election as president, he changed his status to "retired" in February 2009. According to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of Illinois, there have never been any disciplinary actions against Obama. A search of the online lawyer registry of the ARDC, which operates under the Illinois Supreme Court, confirms that under "Public Record of Discipline and Pending Proceedings," there are none for Obama.
Obama's status is listed as “retired,” with a note specifying that he is not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services. By voluntarily changing his registration status to inactive or retired, Obama is no longer required to take continuing education classes or pay annual fees. However, he could practice law again if he chose to do so by changing his status back to active.
It is important to address the misinformation circulating on social media platforms, such as Facebook, claiming that Obama surrendered his law license to escape charges of lying on his bar application. These allegations are false and have been refuted by official sources.
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Frequently asked questions
No, he elected to have his license placed on "inactive status" in 2007 and changed it to "retired" in 2009.
No, this is a false claim that has been circulating on social media since 2012. There have never been any disciplinary actions against him.
President Obama's license status is listed as “retired” and he is not authorized to practice law or provide pro bono services.
No, Michelle Obama's license status is listed as “voluntarily inactive" and she is not authorized to practice law.
The Obamas haven't disclosed the reason for changing their license status. However, it is common for lawyers who don't intend to continue practising law to go on inactive status.
