Reciprocity
Reciprocity Conditions
In practice, reciprocity is more complex than described in the example because jurisdictions having “reciprocity” typically impose certain conditions in addition to the attorney being licensed in the other jurisdiction. A common condition requires that the attorney have practiced law in the other jurisdiction for a specified number of years.
Reciprocity is often referred to by “admission by waiver” and “admission on motion.”
Admission by Waiver
Pursuant to admission by waiver, an attorney is “waived in” to the local jurisdiction’s bar.
Admission on Motion
Requirements for Admission, on Motion, to the New York Bar
New York Law provides for admission on motion. The New York State Board of Law Examiners allows for the attorney’s admission on motion to the New York State Bar, if the attorney:
- has practiced law for five of the preceding seven years,
- is admitted to practice law in a least one reciprocal jurisdiction, and
- has graduated from an American Bar Association approved law school.
Jurisdictions That Have Reciprocity with New York
Reciprocity agreements change from year-to-year. Please check with the New York Board of Law Examiners for the latest information. At the time of publication, for the purposes of admission on motion, the following 39 jurisdictions have reciprocity with New York:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
New York Bar Exam Reciprocity Jurisdictions
