(a) Requirements for Admission. In order to be eligible for membership in the Bar of this
Court, an attorney must:
(1) Be a member in good standing of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the State of
Rhode Island; and
(2) Be a member in good standing in every other jurisdiction in which the attorney
has been admitted to practice; and
(3) Certify that he or she has read and understands these Local Rules; and
(4) Establish to the satisfaction of this Court, that he or she is of good moral character
and otherwise qualified and fit to be admitted to the Bar of this Court.
(b) Procedure for Admission.
(1) Application for Admission. An attorney applying for admission to the Bar of this
Court must complete the application form through PACER, attach current (issued within
30 days of application) certificate(s) of good standing from the Rhode Island Supreme
Court and any other jurisdiction in which the attorney has been admitted to practice (if
applicable), and the admission fee fixed by the Court.
(2) Review of Application. The Clerk shall review the application and determine if the
attorney satisfies the prerequisites for admission. If so, the Clerk shall direct the applicant
to pay the admission fee. If the Clerk finds that the attorney does not satisfy the
prerequisites for admission, the Clerk shall forward the application to the Chief Judge, or
his or her designee, for review.
(3) Oath of Admission: Admitted attorneys shall make the following oath or affirmation
before the Clerk:
Attorneys shall make the following oath or affirmation: I do solemnly [swear]
[affirm] that, to the best of my knowledge and ability, I will support and defend
the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic,
and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take the obligation
freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will
demean myself as an attorney, proctor, and solicitor of this court, uprightly and
according to the law. [So help me God.]
The attorney will forward the signed Oath with a wet signature to the Clerk for filing.
Upon making the prescribed oath or affirmation, the attorney shall be a member of the
Bar of this Court.
U.S. DISTRICT COURT LOCAL RULES – GENERAL/ATTORNEY RULES
Effective 4/1/24: §(b) amended; §(c) deleted. Effective 12/1/18: §§(a)-(c) amended to remove attendance at the
Board of Bar Admissions course of instruction as a requirement for bar admission. Effective 12/1/16: §(a)(2)(B)
amended. Effective 12/15/14: §§(b)(2) and (b)(4) amended. Effective 12/1/11: The numerical references in this
rule were altered as part of the restyling of numerical references throughout the Local Rules. Effective 1/3/11:
§§(a)(2)(A), (a)(3), (b)(3), and (c)(1)(A) amended; and §§(c)(3), (c)(4) and running footnote deleted to reflect
suspension of bar examination requirement. Effective 1/5/09: §(a)(1) amended. Effective 3/17/08: Rule amended to
reflect change in name of Board of Bar Admissions and §§(b)(2) and (b)(4) amended.
CROSS-REFERENCES
See LR Gen 203 (Continuing Obligations of Members of Bar).
See also Administrative Order 2007-05 (change in names of Board of Bar Examiners and Board
of Bar Examiners Fund; suspension of Bar examination; filing fees).
U.S. DISTRICT COURT LOCAL RULES – GENERAL/ATTORNEY RULES
