The Supreme Court Prothonotary's office in Pittsburgh, PA processes all
applications for admission to the Bar. If you have any questions please call
them at (412) 565-2816
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has exclusive jurisdiction over membership in
the Bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Accordingly, only
upon completion of the procedures required by the Supreme Court will an
individual be admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania (Pa.B.A.R.
103 & 231 Programs for
admission to local courts and/or bar associations are ceremonial in nature only
and may require additional fees.
Enclosed herewith are: (1) an application for admission; and (2) a certificate
from the Board of Law Examiners addressed to the Justices of the Supreme Court.
In order to apply for admission, you must submit to the Supreme Court
Prothonotary’s Office a completed application, the original certificate, and the
appropriate fees.
All documents must be mailed or hand delivered to: The Supreme Court
Prothonotary’s Office, 801 City County Building, 414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh,
PA 15219.
All documents submitted to the
Prothonotary must be originals, bearing original signatures where appropriate.
No photocopies, faxes, or other reproductions will be accepted.
Incomplete or incorrect applications will be returned to the applicant for
completion or correction, and a $10 reprocessing fee will be
assessed each time your application is returned.
The Supreme Court sponsors ceremonies for newly
admitted attorneys as indicated on the reverse of this page. From time to time,
special group ceremonies may also be scheduled; for example, a law school may
arrange to have a Justice of the Court preside at a ceremony for its graduates.
These events are the responsibility of the sponsoring organization, which should
be contacted for all details.
CERTIFICATE: Your original certificate from the Board of Law
Examiners must be submitted with your application. Your name will appear on your
admission exactly
as it appears on the certificate. Any changes to your certificate, i.e. name
changes,
must be completed through the Board of Law Examiners
(717-231-3350) before submitting your application. Additionally, please note
that the enclosed certificate expires six months from the date
of issue. If seeking admission past that date, you must contact the Board of Law
Examiners to update your certificate before submitting your application.
FEES: Cash, Money Order, Cashier’s Check or Personal Check
(payable to the Supreme Court of PA) will be accepted in the exact
amount only. No third party checks will be accepted. Law firm checks
will be accepted provided the firm’s name is clearly embossed as the
account-holder. The fees are as follows:
Filing fee:
$50.00
Engrossed, Wall-Sized Certificate (optional):
$50.00
Total Fees (filing fee and optional wall certificate):
$100.00
APPLICATION
PAGE 1:
Part 1:
Please complete in its entirety, and
be sure to sign where indicated.
Part 2:
If the person moving for your admission is a Pennsylvania judge, please so
indicate. If you do not know a Pennsylvania judge or an
active Pennsylvania attorney, please leave blank and it will be completed
by the Prothonotary. Be advised that in such case the Prothonotary's name
will appear on your wall certificate as the attorney moving for your admission.
This will not be changed later for any reason.
Part 3:
Oath of admission must be administered by a notary public, judge, or other
official authorized to administer oaths. The official must sign
and date on the line provided under the oath. Notaries must apply seal and/or
stamp as required by law in their jurisdiction. If submitting your
application in person at the Prothonotary's Office, please have the oath
administered by a notary, judge or other official before appearing, as there is
no notary public on site.
Part 4:
Please indicate with a check-mark the location of the ceremony you wish to
attend. Complete the part marked "Individual Motion" only if
the person who moved for your admission is a family member, or a judge under
whom you are serving a clerkship, and that person will be
attending the ceremony with you. This should be the same person as listed in
Part 2.
NOTICE: The Court has discontinued the practice of administering the
oath necessary for admission at an open court ceremony. The recitation of the
oath at a public event, including the special sessions of the Supreme Court for
newly admitted attorneys listed below, is purely ceremonial.
All candidates must complete and sign the Oath of Admission contained in Part 3
of the Application.
PAGE 2:
Please complete all appropriate fields, and
be sure to sign where indicated.
Pittsburgh
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Supreme Court Courtroom
801 City County Building
414 Grant Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Ceremony 10:30 a.m.
Report at 9:30 a.m.
Philadelphia
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Grand Ballroom
Radisson Hotel Valley Forge
1160 First Avenue
King of Prussia, PA 19406
Ceremony 10:30 a.m.
Report at 9:30 a.m.
DEADLINE: In order to participate in a court ceremony, submit your
completed application on or before April 28, 2010.
The Prothonotary’s Office will notify you via First Class Mail of your admission
date and Attorney I.D. Number.