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  1. 4.1 Introduction
  2. 4.2 J.D. Degree Requirements
  3. 4.3 J.D. Degree: Requirements and Limitations
  4. 4.4 J.D. Degree: Credit/Hour & Subject Requirements
    1. 4.4.1 Credit/Hour Requirement (the 90-Credit Rule)
    2. 4.4.2 Subject Requirements
  5. 4.5 J.D. Degree: Grade Point Average Requirement
  6. 4.6 Wisconsin Diploma Privilege Requirements
    1. 4.6.1 Academic Requirements
    2. 4.6.2 Degree and Course Requirements
    3. 4.6.3 Overlap of the 60-Credit Rule with Other Requirements
    4. 4.6.4 60-Credit Rule and Clinicals, Trial Advocacy, Lawyering Skills, Professional Responsibilities
    5. 4.6.5 Required Grades for Diploma Privilege
  7. 4.7 Diploma Privilege: Character & Fitness Certification
    1. 4.7.1 Introduction
    2. 4.7.2 Securing an Application
    3. 4.7.3 Immediately Review the Application
    4. 4.7.4 Application Fees
    5. 4.7.5 Application Deadlines
  8. 4.8 Diploma Privilege: State Bar of Wisconsin, and Swearing-in before the Wisconsin Supreme Court
  9. 4.9 Admission to the Bar of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
  10. 4.10 Admission to the Bar of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Other Federal Courts, U.S. Supreme Court
  11. 4.11 Diploma Privilege: Other Swearing-In Options
    1. 4.11.1 Out-of-State Swearing In
    2. 4.11.2 Early Admission
  12. 4.12 Bar Admission in States Other Than Wisconsin
    1. 4.12.1 Introduction
    2. 4.12.2 Important Note Regarding New York Bar Admission Requirements
    3. 4.12.3 Early Registration: States Other Than Wisconsin
    4. 4.12.4 Timeliness
    5. 4.12.5 Certification of Law Degree
  13. 4.13 Graduation Information
    1. 4.13.1 Preparing for Graduation Checklist
    2. 4.13.2 Applying to Graduate
    3. 4.13.3 Commencement Ceremony Options
    4. 4.13.4 Graduation Invitations
    5. 4.13.5 Honors & Dean’s Academic Achievement Award
    6. 4.13.6 Academic Regalia for Graduation Ceremonies (Attire)
    7. 4.13.7 Post-Graduation and Bar Admission Information
    8. 4.13.8 Ordering Transcripts
    9. 4.13.9 Graduation Class Rank
    10. 4.13.10 The Order of the Coif
    11. 4.13.11 Bar Admission
    12. 4.13.12 Swearing-In Ceremonies
    13. 4.13.13 Office of Career & Professional Development Graduation Information
    14. 4.13.14 Financial Information for Graduates

  14. 4.14 JD Degree & Diploma Privilege Worksheets

  15. Table of Contents

4.1  Introduction

This Chapter will describe, first, the basic requirements to earn a Doctor of Laws (J.D.) degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Then it will address the requirements for Diploma Privilege in Wisconsin (the privilege to practice law in Wisconsin without taking the Wisconsin Bar Examination) (see 4.6 below). It will briefly discuss some procedures a UW Law graduate needs to know when applying for bar admission in a state other than Wisconsin (see 4.12 below). Finally, it will review some general graduation and commencement information. Contact the Law School Registrar at registrar@law.wisc.edu with any questions or concerns regarding the Diploma Privilege and Graduation course requirements. 

4.2  J.D. Degree Requirements

Although the vast majority of students who earn J.D. degrees from the Law School also meet the requirements for the Wisconsin Diploma Privilege, it is important to note that the actual J.D. degree requirements are not identical to the Diploma Privilege requirements. Indeed, it is possible to receive a J.D. degree and not meet the Diploma Privilege requirements. In reading the following information about J.D. degree requirements, do not make the mistake of thinking these are the Diploma Privilege requirements (See 4.6 below).

Note: the JD & Diploma Privilege Worksheets at the end of this chapter will assist you in keeping track of both your J.D. degree and Diploma Privilege requirements. 

To graduate with a J.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, three sets of requirements must be met. You must:

  1. Satisfy the residency & other requirements. See 4.3 below.
  2. Meet the credit/hour & subject requirements. See 4.4 below.
  3. Achieve and maintain a requisite grade-point average. See 4.5 below.

4.3  J.D. Degree: Requirements and Limitations

Preliminary note: Like all ABA-accredited law schools, the Law School is required to comply with American Bar Association guidelines, including Chapter 3 of the Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools. Some of the Law School's Rules which specifically address ABA requirements are currently out-of-date with respect to same. Since those particular Law School Rules were last revised, the ABA has altered significantly the applicable rules.

Time Limitations

ABA Standard 311(b) provides that students may complete their degree requirements “no earlier than 24 months” after commencing law studies.  To graduate early means, for example, were a student to start at the Law School in September 2022, the student could complete all degree requirements and graduate in December 2024–-that is, after five regular semesters of full-time study. Note, however, that in this instance some summer session work would almost certainly be necessary: because the First-year Program is currently limited to 29 credits, and in each subsequent term one is limited to a maximum of 18 credits (see below), one would still need 7 credits of summer session work to reach the 90 credits required.

Additional Note: It is possible for a full-time student starting in September to complete degree requirements by August two years later (i.e., precisely 24 months later--and no earlier); this would entail taking, after the first year, approximately 18 credits in each of the 2L semesters, plus approximately 25 summer credits over two summers. Be advised, however, that: (1) sufficient variation in summer course offerings in subsequent summers is not guaranteed; and (2) completing J. D. degree work in 24 months is difficult and not necessarily advisable for most students.

Credit Limitations

Students are not permitted to be enrolled in more than 18 credits per term. (See ABA Standard 311(c), which forbids enrollment, at any time, in more than 20 percent of the total coursework required for graduation. As the Law School requires 90 credits for the JD degree, the applicable enrollment restriction is 18 credits.) Credits associated with enrichment classes or other classes upon which JD degree credit will not be based do not count toward the 18 credit limitation.

Credits "in residence"

Law School Rule 9.01(1)(c) mandates that a "minimum of 50 credits must be earned as a J.D. candidate in this Law School for a student to be entitled to receive a J.D. from Wisconsin."  Thus, a student who transfers to UW Law from a different law school, and who possesses a fairly large number of potentially transferable credits from the original school, must complete at least 50 credits as a UW Law student.  This might mean that such a student may need more than the typical 90 credits total (see 4.4.1 below) to earn the Wisconsin JD. Credits that are part of a Law School study abroad exchange program are considered "in residence."

Sufficient Credits (the 64-credit rule)

Sufficient Credits in courses with regular class sessions (the 64-credit rule): Per ABA requirement (see Standard 311(a)), graduation is conditioned on at least 64 credits of the 90 credits required for degree being completed in law courses with regularly scheduled class sessions or direct faculty instruction. 

This will be important to keep in mind if, for instance, a student wishes to participate in certain curricular activities (e.g., law journals, Moot Court, externships, Mock Trial competitions, directed reading/research) that do not necessarily involve attendance at regularly scheduled class sessions, or if a student will transfer non-law credits as part of a dual degree program or otherwise apply non-law credits to the JD. 

The Law School course schedule indicates whether a class counts towards the 64-credit rule. If you have questions or concerns about this requirement, please contact the Law School Registrar at registrar@law.wisc.edu.

Distance Education Credit Limits

Law students are not permitted to earn more than one-third of the credits required for the JD degree (that is, more than 30 credits of 90 credit total) in distance education courses. Per ABA Standards, a 'distance education course' is one in which "students are separated from the faculty member or each other for more than one-third of the instruction and the instruction involves the use of technology to support regular and substantive interaction among the students and between the students and the faculty member, either synchonously or asynchronously." [Note: credit earned in distance education courses taken during the pandemic emergency (Spring 2020, Summer 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021) are exempt from this limitation.]

Although the Law School does not itself currently offer sufficient distance education courses for a student to exceed 30 credit in distance education courses, students who study as a 'visitor' at another law school --or who take non-Law distance education courses elsewhere on campus-- should be aware of this 30 credit limitation, as it could prevent certain distance education credits from being ultimately applied toward the JD degree. 

4.4 J.D. Degree: Credit/Hour & Subject Requirements

4.4.1  Credit/Hour Requirement (the 90-Credit Rule)

To graduate, law students must satisfactorily complete 90 credits (or “hours”) of courses, all of which must qualify for credit from the University of Wisconsin Law School, whether the courses are taken at the Law School or elsewhere. This is sometimes referred to as the 90-Credit Rule. (To “satisfactorily complete” refers to required grades, discussed at 4.5 below.)

Important Note: A student who completes 90 or more credits and has fulfilled all other J.D. degree course requirements (i.e., the First-Year Program, the Legal Process Requirement, the Professional Responsibilities Requirement and the 64-credit rule ) will be graduated – regardless of whether the student has yet to complete any requirements necessary for Diploma Privilege.  However, students meeting the graduation requirements by December of their third year may request a deferral of graduation until the end of their 3L year (May) by notifying the Law School Registrar.  This exception may not apply to international students on a visa.  Contact the Law School Registrar for more information. 

Additional Note: All 60-Credit Rule courses (discussed in 4.6.2 below) count toward the 90 credits needed for degree.  (But not all '90-Credit Rule' courses satisfy the Diploma Privilege-related 60-Credit Rule.)

Please note that the JD & Diploma Privilege Worksheets located at the end of this chapter are useful for keeping track of both your J.D. degree and Diploma Privilege requirements.

4.4.2  Subject Requirements:

Within the 90 “hours” (or credits), students must complete the following Graduation Requirement courses:

Please note that the JD & Diploma Privilege Worksheets located at the end of this chapter are useful for keeping track of both your J.D. degree and Diploma Privilege requirements.

Important Note for students who may wish to be admitted in New York: See Section 4.12.2 below. 

4.5  J.D. Degree: Grade Point Average Requirement

To graduate, a student must have completed courses totaling not fewer than 90 credits, including all the courses required for graduation, with a weighted final average of not less than 2.0 on the Law School’s 4.3 scale. (Law School Rule 9.01) Basically, the weighted final average is based on all the courses for which a student has received Law School letter grades (as opposed to letter grades earned in non-Law courses and for which the letter grades on the University’s 4.0 scale are reported; these non-4.3 scale letter grades do not factor into a Law student’s GPA).

Thus, the critical average to maintain is a weighted average of 2.0 or better (on the Law School’s 4.3 scale). Students frequently ask whether they must have a C (the equivalent to 2.0) in every class. The short answer is no. A second frequently asked question is whether students must retake any class in which they receive a grade below C. The short answer to this question is also no.  But students must have a 2.0 or better overall--and complete 90 credits--(including all Graduation Requirements) in order to receive the J. D. degree. (For information on Retakes, see Section 7.4).

Note: Since the Law School uses a separate grading scale from the rest of the University, your official UW transcript and student record will not calculate or show your Law School GPA. If you wish to calculate your GPA yourself, follow the directions on how to calculate your Law School GPA contained in Student Handbook section 9.  A student's Law School GPA is available on the unofficial transcript in Symplicity provided by the Office of Career and Professional Development.

4.6  Wisconsin Diploma Privilege Requirements

Years ago, many states had a "diploma privilege," a set of course and grade requirements which, if fulfilled, allowed one to be admitted to practice without taking a bar exam. Wisconsin is now alone in retaining this privilege, by rule of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (see Chapter 40). To qualify for the Wisconsin Diploma Privilege, one must satisfy two sets of requirements:

  1. One must meet certain academic requirements. See 4.6.2-4.6.5 below.
  2. One must meet requirements relating to character and fitness to practice law. See 4.7 below.

4.6.1   Academic Requirements

As stated above, the vast majority of students who earn J.D. degrees from the Law School also meet the requirements for Wisconsin Diploma Privilege. The JD & Diploma Privilege Worksheets located at the end of this chapter outline the academic requirements for diploma privilege and are useful for keeping track of both your J.D. degree and Diploma Privilege requirements. Contact Amy Arntsen, Law School Registrar (registrar@law.wisc.edu), with questions about the academic requirements for diploma privilege.

4.6.2   Degree and Course Requirements

In order to be certified for admission to the Wisconsin Bar under the Diploma Privilege, a graduate must satisfy three requirements:

  1. The graduate must be awarded a J.D. degree from the Law School. See Section 4.2 above. (See also Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 40.03).

  2. The graduate must have satisfactorily completed courses in the Mandatory Subject Matter areas. (SCR 40.03(2)(b)) To “satisfactorily complete” refers to required grades, discussed below in Section 4.6.5. (Note: this rule is sometimes referred to as the 10-Subject/30-Credit Rule, although the required courses will add up to more than 30 credits and, with the Constitutional Law and Criminal Law & Procedure requirements each divided, there are in reality twelve separate mandatory subjects, not ten.)

    The Mandatory Subject Matter Areas are:

    • Constitutional Law (divided into separate Constitutional Law I and Constitutional Law II requirements for students matriculating before Fall 2023; for Fall 2023 matriculants and thereafter, a single Constitutional Law course in the first year is required);
    • Contracts (satisfied by Contracts I);
    • Criminal Law and Procedure (divided into separate Introduction to Substantive Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure requirements for students matriculating before Fall 2023; for Fall 2023 matriculants and thereafter, a single Criminal Law and Procedure course in the first year is required);
    • Evidence;
    • Jurisdiction of Courts (for students matriculating before Fall 2023, satisfied by Civil Procedure II, Federal Jurisdiction, or Conflicts of Laws; for Fall 2023 matriculants and thereafter, a single Civil Procedure course in the first year is required);
    • Ethics & Legal Responsibilities of the Legal Profession (satisfied by Professional Responsibilities or Legal Profession or Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice);
    • Pleading & Practice (for students matriculating before Fall 2023, satisfied by Civil Procedure I; for Fall 2023 matriculants and thereafter, a single Civil Procedure course in the first year is required);
    • Real Property (satisfied by Property);
    • Torts (satisfied by Torts I); and

    • Wills & Estates (satisfied by Trusts  & Estates I)

  3. The graduate must have satisfactorily completed not fewer than 60 credits in the Elective Subject Matter areas. (SCR 40.03(2)(a)) (To “satisfactorily complete” refers to required grades, discussed below at 4.6.5.) This is most often referred to as the 60-Credit Rule. All courses satisfying the 60-Credit Rule will be so designated in the 60-Credit Rule Courses.

4.6.3  Overlap of the 60-Credit Rule with Other Requirements

All of the Mandatory Subject Area courses referenced above will count toward the 60-Credit Rule. A student who takes all of the Mandatory Subject Area courses (including the many found in the First-Year Program) will already have approximately 40 or more credits toward meeting the 60-Credit Rule. Thus, the student need only take 20 or so additional credits of 60-Credit Rule courses to meet the requirement.

4.6.4  60-Credit Rule and Clinicals, Trial Advocacy, Lawyering Skills, Professional Responsibilities

In a student’s law school career, a cumulative maximum of only five clinical credits (to include internships and externships) will count toward the 60-Credit Rule for Diploma Privilege (but all such credits will count toward the 90-Credit Rule required for graduation; see 4.4.1 above). In the Lawyering Skills Course, five of the six credits will apply to the 60-Credit Rule, but all will count toward the 90-Credit Rule. For Professional Responsibilities, one credit will apply to the 60-Credit Rule, but all will count toward the 90-Credit Rule. For Trial Advocacy (including Mock Trial, but not including Pre-Trial Advocacy), a maximum of four credits will apply to the 60-Credit Rule for Diploma Privilege, but all will count toward the 90-Credit Rule for graduation.

The operation of these rules is illustrated by the following table:

Course Cumulative Maximum Credits
Applicable to 60-Credit Rule		 Credits Applicable To 90-Credit Rule Credits Applicable To 64-Credit Rule Credits Applicable to Experiential Learning Rule
Clinical courses
and Externships		 5 All All for clinical courses;
None for externships		 All
Lawyering Skills
Course		 5 All All All
Professional
Responsibilities		 1 All All 0
Trial Advocacy 4 All Instructor-led classes
count; competitions do not		 All

4.6.5  Required Grades for Diploma Privilege

As stated earlier, students must “satisfactorily complete” both the Mandatory Subject Matter courses and 60-Credit Rule courses for Diploma Privilege eligibility (SCR 40.03(2)). By Law School Rule, this is interpreted as both earning a weighted (or “cumulative”) average of at least 2.0 in the Mandatory Subject Matter courses and earning a weighted average of at least a 2.0 in the 60-Credit Rule area (Law School Rule 3.04(1)(b) and (1)(c), respectively). Note that this does not mean that a C (the letter equivalent of 2.0 on the 4.3 scale) is required in each course; rather, the weighted average must be 2.0 in each of these two categories of courses.

Thus, failure to achieve a weighted average of 2.0 or better on the Law School’s 4.3 scale in the Mandatory Subject Matter courses will prevent the student from receiving the Diploma Privilege upon graduation. This often means that a student who has not maintained a 2.0 average in the first-year courses will not be eligible for the Diploma Privilege. Thus, a student who achieves a better than 2.0 GPA for the 60-Credit Rule courses overall, but did not achieve a 2.0 or better for the Mandatory Subject Matter courses required for Diploma Privilege, must take the state bar examination to qualify to practice in Wisconsin after graduation. Similarly, students must also have a 2.0 average or better for all 60-Credit Rule courses overall.

Transfer and Visiting Away Students: Credits from other law schools counted towards a UW law degree, whether due to a student transferring to the UW from another law school or a UW Law student visiting at another law school, are not factored into the UW Law school grade point average.

Students who transfer to UW Law after their 1L year may have far fewer credits averaged into the diploma privilege Mandatory Subject Matter courses than their fellow students who did their first year of law school at UW (most Mandatory Subject Matter courses would have been taken by the transfer student in his or her 1L year and thus transferred to UW Law without a letter grade).  In that situation, a four-credit D could prevent a transfer student from reaching the 2.0 GPA in Mandatory Subject Matter courses. 

4.7  Diploma Privilege: Character & Fitness Certification

4.7.1  Introduction

Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules state “[a]n applicant for bar admission shall establish good moral character and fitness to practice law.” Such an applicant must establish, to the satisfaction of the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), that the applicant possesses the requisite character and fitness. (See SCR 40.06) Note that the burden is on the applicant to establish all necessary qualifications (SCR 40.07) and that the BBE “shall decline to certify the character and fitness of an applicant who knowingly makes a materially false statement of a material fact or who fails to disclose a fact necessary to correct a misapprehension known by the applicant to have arisen in connection with his or her application.” (SCR 40.06(3))

4.7.2   Securing an Application

Information and Filing Instructions, along with the application packet, are available on the Wisconsin Supreme Court Board of Bar Examiners’ website.

The application is generally available in October for the following year (for 2019 grads the diploma privilege application will be available in October 2018).

4.7.3   Immediately Review the Application

You are strongly urged to review the Character and Fitness Certification application at your earliest convenience. The first reason for this is so that you can acquaint yourself with the nature of the information being sought (much of which may oblige you to consult personal records, documents, papers, or contact third parties for required information). The second reason is to identify any questions you might have about the application and how you should proceed in light of these questions. BBE staff members typically visit the Law School each autumn in order to answer law students’ questions. You are urged to take advantage of these visits by the BBE staff, who are also available by phone to answer questions about the application. DO NOT DELAY in beginning to assemble the information you will need to complete the application.

Special Note: Some applicants will be required to provide an additional FBI check.  The FBI checks may take 15 weeks or more to process.  Those students wanting to participate in the group swearing-in or wanting to be admitted to the bar soon after graduation may wish to plan accordingly with regard to when the application is submitted, to allow time for the FBI check, if required.  The following applicants will be asked to get an FBI check:  those who have lived or worked in Arizona or California; non-citizens; and those who have lived in a foreign country.  Other applicants may also be asked to provide an FBI check. 

Here are some web-sites that may prove of use in the assembling of required information:

If you have questions about the application or the application process, contact the BBE Admissions at 608-266-9760.

4.7.4   Application Fees

When you examine your application, note that there are varying fees, depending on one's graduation month and when one files the application. Per SCR Chapter 40, Appendix BA 14.05, a late fee will be assessed to the following applicants for bar admission on the diploma privilege:  May graduates who have not filed an application by the preceding December 15; August graduates who have not filed an application by the preceding March 15; and December graduates who have not filed an application by the preceding July 15.

4.7.5   Application Deadlines

Please read the following paragraphs carefully. Although the formal deadline to file your Character and Fitness Certification application is based on when your degree is conferred (and degree conferral occurs at approximately the same time as graduation), if you wish to participate in the large-group swearing-in ceremony (see Section 4.8), your application should be filed approximately six months prior to the date of the swearing-in ceremony. This may seem early to you, but the Board of Bar Examiners requires 3 - 6 months to complete the character and fitness examinations for a great many applicants for admission. Submitting your application early also avoids the application late fee (see Section 4.7.4 above).  (If you will not be available for the large-group swearing-in ceremony, the BBE will send you the appropriate bar admission certification documents; you are then expected to either participate in the Supreme Court's regularly-scheduled monthly swearing-in ceremony, or to make your own arrangements regarding a private swearing-in.)

Applications may be submitted following the actual conferral of the degree. As a rule, for May graduates, the application deadline is the preceding December 15, late applications are accepted until July 1; for December graduates, the deadline is the preceding July 15, late applications accepted until February 1; for August graduates, the deadline is March 15, late applications are accepted until October 1. (If the final deadline falls on a weekend the BBE may choose to extend the deadline). Of course, if you wait as long as the final applicable deadline to file your application, you will still have to wait some months while your application is processed.

Importantly, if you miss the vital final deadline altogether, you will have forfeited the opportunity to apply for Diploma Privilege and will have to sit for the Wisconsin Bar Examination.  See also Rule BA 14.04(b) of the Rules of the Board of Bar Examiners contained in the Appendix to Chapter 40 of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules, for a very limited exception to the July 1 deadline.

According to the Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), filing is completed on the date a properly executed application and applicable fees are received at the BBE office. Finally, once an application is timely filed, an applicant does have up to one year to complete the application process before losing the Diploma Privilege opportunity altogether.

Applicants are responsible for having a transcript sent to the BBE. Transcripts are ordered through the MyUW Student Center or via the UW Office of the Registrar Transcripts page. The Law School will submit the Dean's Certificate for Wisconsin Bar applicants altogether usually within two weeks of the end of the final semester exam period. Graduating students do not need to request this Certificate for Wisconsin (if another state requests a Dean's Certificate, it must be requested separately--see that state's bar application directions for details). Wisconsin Bar Application files will remain incomplete until the Dean's Certificate is submitted. Any delay in completion of a graduating student's degree (e.g., an incomplete or a late paper) may result in a delay in the Dean's Certificate submission to the BBE.

4.8  Diploma Privilege: State Bar of Wisconsin & Swearing-in Before the Wisconsin Supreme Court

Wisconsin, like a number of other states, is an “integrated bar.” This means that to hold a Wisconsin license to practice law you must belong to the State Bar of Wisconsin. Graduates of the Law School are generally admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin by being sworn-in before the Supreme Court of the State of Wisconsin, usually at a group swearing-in shortly after graduation.

The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE), to which you will make your application for admission to the bar pursuant to the Diploma Privilege, will communicate with you about the details of your swearing-in before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. For May graduates, the group swearing-in is typically held in late May or early June. For December graduates, the group swearing-in is typically held sometime in January (this is usually a combined session with Marquette University Law School December graduates). August graduates are usually sworn in at the Supreme Court's regular monthly swearing-in ceremony.

The BBE will not confirm you for swearing-in before the Wisconsin Supreme Court until your application has been finalized and the relevant character and fitness certification completed. Please note: The applicaton requires the Law School to confirm your degree with a Dean’s Certificate. This is sent automatically to the BBE for all graduates eligible for diploma privilege approximately one week before the scheduled swearing-in ceremony.

4.9  Admission to the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin

Information on admission to the Federal District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin is provided to graduating students shortly before the end of the spring semester. Once you have been admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin by virtue of being sworn-in before the Wisconsin Supreme Court, you can be admitted to the Western District. While the process is made easy for you, you must nevertheless complete the online application, take the oath, and pay the fee online before you can legally practice before this court. The Western District does not require an in-person swear-in; it is all done online although the Court has traditionally held a ceremonial swearing-in for May graduates on the same day as the Wisconsin Bar Admission Group Swearing-in ceremony. If you are interested in being admitted before the Western District, fill out the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin online application.

For information about admission before the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, see Section 4.10 below.

4.10  Admission to the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Other Federal Courts, U.S. Supreme Court

Some graduates may desire to be admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in Milwaukee instead of—or in addition to—the Western District Court in Madison. As is the case with the Western District, before you can be admitted to practice in the Eastern District, you must first be admitted before the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Applications and information regarding admission before the Eastern District. You should submit the required materials directly to the court in Milwaukee. You must have an attorney already admitted to practice before the Eastern District complete the required Affidavit in support of your admission. If you have any questions regarding admission before the Eastern District, please direct them to the court clerk's office at 414-297-3372.

A brief note about other federal courts: All federal courts have their own rules for admission. Most are easily met and can be done by mail, but most also require that your admission be moved by someone who is already a member of that court. Contact the clerk of the federal court where you are interested in practicing to obtain rules and applications.  The UW Law Alumni Association and/or the Office of Career and Professional Development may be able to help you find someone in another state to move your admission.

Admission to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court requires that you practice three years before applying.

4.11  Diploma Privilege: Other Swearing-In Options

If you are unable to make the scheduled group swearing-in, you can be sworn in at the Wisconsin Supreme Court's next monthly admission ceremony. If you wish to be sworn-in to practice as a Wisconsin attorney but must leave the state permanently before the group swearing-in date for UW Law graduates, you can still be sworn-in to the Wisconsin Bar. There are two avenues for this, neither of which is easy—so if at all possible, it's best to get sworn-in at the group ceremony (or, alternatively, at the Supreme Court's regularly scheduled monthly swearing-in ceremony).

4.11.1  Out-of-State Swearing-In

The procedure for an out-of-state swearing-in to the Wisconsin Bar is somewhat involved. A brief explanation follows and further information is available from Mr. Gabe Anderson, Intake Clerk, Supreme Court/Court of Appeals Clerk's Office, 608-261-4309, Gabriel.Anderson@WIcourts.gov.

Supreme Court Rule 40.02(4) provides that the oath may be administered by any person authorized by that jurisdiction to administer the attorney’s oath for bar admission. Admittees may be sworn-in by a state Supreme Court justice, Federal Judge, U.S. Supreme Court justice or other authorized person from an outside jurisdiction (ie. public notary in certain states). If you wish to have such a person administer the oath, you must provide a copy of the rule from that jurisdiction which provides authority for that person to administer an attorney’s oath, along with a letter including the proposed date and time as well as the name, title, email address of the individual administering the oath. Also include the jurisdiction of the authorized individual and the rule that allows that person to administer the oath. This should be submitted at least 10 days in advance of the scheduled date.

Along with the letter and the copy of the rule, you need to send the original Memorandum-Certificate (Board Certification) issued by the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners, the completed Certificate Mailing Address Form (both of these items will be sent by the BBE) and proof of payment for the specified amount. The above items must be mailed or emailed to Mr. Anderson at the Supreme Court Clerk's Office, gabriel.anderson@wicourts.gov, P.O. Box 1688, Madison WI 53701-1688 (phone first to verify mailing address). The street address for FedEx or Overnight Mail is as follows: 110 E. Main St., #215, Madison, WI 53703.

Upon receipt of the above items (letter, jurisdiction rule, memo/certificate, mailing form and check), Mr. Anderson will send the verifications forms to you and the individual who will administer the oath .

One variation of this: if you wish to be sworn in by another state's Supreme Court Justice (or member of the highest court in another jurisdiction) or a judge in the U.S. District Court, U.S. Court of Appeals or U.S. Supreme Court, you need not send the copy of the jurisdiction's rule on oaths mentioned above. You will need to schedule a date and time to be sworn in with the Justice/judge. Mr. Anderson will need to receive written notice (letter including date and time as well as name and address of individual administering oath) at least 10 days in advance of the scheduled date, along with the documents (certificate/form/payment) already mentioned above.

4.11.2  Early Admission

The decision to seek Early Admission must not be approached lightly. Early Admission is granted in rare instances when the law graduate can demonstrate that extraordinary and compelling circumstances, such as medical exigency or military obligation, warrant this special consideration. Early Admission cannot occur until after the official degree conferral date.  The group swearing-in is often within two weeks of the official degree conferral date, and it generally takes a week or so after the degree conferral date for the early admission request to be processed by the Supreme Court; therefore, early admission may only be a week or so before the group swearing-in.

The first step is to submit to the Dean of the Law School (via the Law School Registrar) a written Petition with supporting documentation outlining in detail the basis for the need. The Petition should be submitted no later than the last day of classes (this is a firm deadline: no exceptions). Of course, one's application with the BBE must also be complete. Additionally, the student MUST mark all final exams and final papers with the notice that, in addition to being a graduating 3L, the student is also seeking Early Bar Admission.

If the Petition is approved, the Dean of the Law School will write a letter to the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court requesting permission for the graduate to be sworn-in early. The letter will include the reason and a statement that all requirements for admission have been met. That letter will be forwarded to the Chief Justice for approval or denial.

If approved by the Chief Justice, the BBE may issue your certification as soon as possible following conferral of the J.D. degree. Once certified by the BBE (applicants should contact the BBE with any questions regarding the timing of the certification itself), the graduate may schedule an appointment to be sworn in either privately or in a monthly group admission.

4.12  Bar Admission in States Other Than Wisconsin

4.12.1 Introduction

Generally, graduates who intend to practice outside of Wisconsin will need to take a bar exam in the state where they intend to practice and apply for admission to the bar of that state. Almost every state except for Wisconsin also requires applicants to have received a passing score on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (the MPRE), which is administered three times a year, in March, August and November. View more information about the MPRE via National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).

As stated above with respect to Wisconsin, no matter where you choose to be admitted to the bar, you must fill out the appropriate forms, get records certified and forwarded to courts, and you MUST observe deadlines. Admission to the bar requires you to pay attention to details. Remember that there are fees involved, so plan ahead for these fees and for a bar review course if applicable.

While the Law School will automatically certify your degree to the Wisconsin BBE, graduates taking other states' bar exams must submit a request in writing to the Law School Registrar to have degree certification sent to states other than Wisconsin. 

The National Conference of Bar Examiners and American Bar Association publish the “Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements” (PDF).

4.12.2  Important Note regarding New York Bar Admission Requirements

The New York State Board of Law Examiners has specific rules applicable to students who wish to sit for the New York bar examination.  One such rule provides that Law study must be completed in no fewer than 24 months and no more than 60 months (5 years) after commencement of law study (note that this is one year less than the 6 years allowed under UW Law School Rules). There are numerous other requirements of which students who plan to sit for the New York bar exam should be aware. They can be found at www.nybarexam.org. You are urged to review these rules very carefully no later than the beginning of your second year of law school, if you plan to sit for the New York bar exam after you graduate. 

The New York bar is one of over 30 jurisdictions that now administer the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which consists of the Multistate Bar Examination, the Multistate Performance Test, and the Multistate Essay Examination (for more details about the UBE, please see NCBE's website). The UBE is administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.  An application to sit for the July New York bar exam must be filed in April.  An application to sit for the February New York bar exam must be filed in November. 

An extremely helpful resource is the New York State Board of Law Examiners' New York State Bar Exam Information Guide (PDF). 

New York's unique requirements that must be met before a person can be admitted to the New York bar are as follows:

  1. You must achieve a passing score on the UBE.

  2. You must complete an online course in New York-specific law, known as the New York Law Course (NYLC), an online, on demand course which reviews important and unique aspects of New York law.  It consists of approximately 15 hours of recorded lectures.  You must complete the NYLC up to one year prior to or three years after passing the UBE.

  3. You must take and pass an online examination, known as the New York Law Exam (NYLE), which is a 50 item, two hour, open book, multiple choice test administered online and which tests important New York rules.  The NYLE is offered four times a year.  You must complete the NYLE up to one year prior to or three years after passing the UBE. 

  4. You must take and pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).

  5. If you commenced law school studies after August 1, 2016, you must comply with the new Skills Competency Requirement (PDF) set forth in Section 520.18 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals. You do not have to satisfy this requirement before you sit for the bar exam in New York, but it must be satisfied before you can be admitted to practice in the State of New York.

    An applicant for admission may satisfy the skills competency requirement by completing one of five pathways contained in Rule 520.18.

    • Pathway 1 allows an applicant to satisfy the skills competency and professional values requirement by submitting a certification from the applicant’s law school confirming that (1) the law school has developed a plan identifying and incorporating into its curriculum the skills and professional values that, in the school’s judgment, are required for its graduates’ basic competence and ethical participation in the legal profession, and has made this plan publicly available on the law school’s website; and (2) the applicant has acquired sufficient competency in those skills and sufficient familiarity with those values.

    • Pathway 2 permits an applicant to satisfy the skills competency and professional values requirement by submitting proof that the applicant completed 15 credits of practice-based experiential coursework designed to foster professional competency training. Up to 6 of these 15 credits can be earned in law school certified non-credit-bearing summer employment programs, provided those employment opportunities are certified by the law school and satisfy certain other criteria.

    • Pathway 3 provides that any applicant who has successfully completed the Pro Bono Scholars Program, pursuant to section 520.17 of the Court’s Rules for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law (see 22 NYCRR 520.17), will be deemed to have satisfied the skills competency and professional values requirement.

    • Pathway 4 allows an applicant to satisfy the skills competency and professional values requirement upon completion of a post-graduate, six-month apprenticeship in the United States, or in a commonwealth or territory of the United States, or in a foreign country, under the supervision of an attorney authorized to practice in the jurisdiction where the work is performed. The apprenticeship can be paid or unpaid. The supervising attorney is responsible for certifying that the apprenticeship satisfied certain criteria.

    • Pathway 5 provides that an applicant who has been authorized to practice law in another state, or in a U.S. territory or commonwealth or a country outside the United States, and has practiced in that jurisdiction full-time for one year, or part-time for two years, will meet the skills competency and professional values requirement.

  6. You must comply with the 50-hour pro bono service requirement. Pursuant to 520.16 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals, applicants who successfully pass the bar examination in New York State must demonstrate that they have performed 50 hours of qualifying pro bono service before applying for admission to practice. Based on successful passage of the bar examination, any applicant who seeks admission to practice in New York after January 1, 2015, must satisfy the 50-hour requirement. Further information about the NY Courts pro bono requirement.

If you have participated in a clinical course, externship or judicial clerkship as a law student, you may have already satisfied the 50-hour requirement. (See “What Sort of Work Qualifies as Pro Bono Work” below). If you want to use one or more of those courses to satisfy the 50-hour requirement, you and your supervising attorney must complete two affidavits: One that is called a “Form Affidavit as to Applicant’s Compliance with the Pro Bono Requirements, Including Certification by Supervisor;” and a second called “Form Affidavit as to Applicant’s Law Related Employment and/or Solo Practice.” There is no reason to wait until you are applying for admission to the New York State Bar to complete these affidavits – we recommend that you have your supervisor(s) complete these forms at the end of your externship or clerkship. This will avoid your having to search for supervisors who may have forgotten you or who have left their jobs. Here are links to the two forms:

  1. Affidavit of law-related employment to the NY State Bar (PDF)
  2. Affidavit as to compliance with pro bono requirements (PDF)

Do not fill in the Department to which you are seeking admission yet, unless you know for sure the area of the State in which you will be working or living. Also, you may not have your “BOLE” number yet (your number for the bar exam), so leave that blank as well.

Keep these affidavits in a file so that you have them when you need to fill out the forms necessary for bar admission after you have taken the bar exam – you will not be using them until after the bar exam, but it’s a good idea to get them now so you don’t have track down supervisors at some point in the future.

What Sort of Work Qualifies as “Pro Bono Work” Under Rule 520.16?

Eligible pro bono work can be performed any time after you commenced your legal education, and can be performed anywhere that is convenient for you. The work must be law related (i.e., the work must involve the use of legal skills and law-related activities that are appropriate for lawyers-in-training not yet admitted to practice, and you must avoid the unauthorized practice of law).

Your pro bono work must be performed under the supervision of:

  1. a member of the law school faculty, including adjunct faculty, or an instructor employed by a law school;
  2. an attorney admitted to practice and in good standing in the jurisdiction in which the work is performed; or
  3. in the case of a clerkship or externship in a court system, by a judge or an attorney employed by the court system.

Finally, the types of projects that meet the requirement are:

  1. work performed in the service of low-income or disadvantaged individuals who cannot afford counsel and whose unmet legal needs prevent their access to justice; OR
  2. work that involves the use of legal skills for an organization that qualifies as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3); OR
  3. work that involves the use of legal skills for the court system or federal, state or local government agencies or legislative bodies.

It seems clear, therefore, that students who complete 50 hours of work through externships such as the Judicial Intern Clinical Program; the Wisconsin DOJ Clinical Program; LAIP; the Innocence Project; the Family Court Clinic; the Immigrant Justice Clinic; the Prosecution Program; the Defender Program; an externship at any U.S. Attorney’s Office; and a large number of other placements will be deemed to have satisfied the requirement of 50 pro bono hours. See, in particular, Question 12 on page 9 of the “Frequently Asked Questions” about the Pro Bono Requirement (PDF) to determine whether any clinical or externship courses you have completed, or are contemplating, will satisfy the requirement. The fact that you received academic credit or a stipend or grant in connection with your participation in a law school clinic or externship does not disqualify the work.

Please also see the Current Pro Bono Opportunities available through the UW Law Pro Bono Program, or contact the Pro Bono Program directly at probonoprogram@law.wisc.edu, for additional information about other pro bono activities that may satisfy the New York requirements. 

Students who are considering pursuing admission to the New York bar are strongly urged to plan with the above requirements in mind. If you have questions about the New York requirements and your UW Law School curriculum, you should consult with the Law School Registrar, Amy Arntsen; Curricular Coordinator Jane Heymann; or one of the lawyers in the Office of Career and Professional Development.

4.12.3  Early Registration: States other than Wisconsin

Some states require registration as a law student in order to expedite sitting for the bar examination in that jurisdiction. If you definitely plan to practice in some other state, you are urged to check with the licensing authority in that state to see if you can reduce the costs associated with admission in that state by registering as a law student.

4.12.4  Timeliness

As with the Wisconsin Bar, if you plan to seek bar admission in another state, you must file forms for that state in a timely manner. You may request the appropriate bar admission packet by writing or calling that bar, or going to their website.

4.12.5  Certification of Law Degree

The state bar to which you are applying will probably require, as part of the application process or as a prerequisite to sit for the bar exam, some manner of certification from the UW Law School that you have indeed received your J.D. degree. You should carefully research what is required by the state to which you are applying.

Some states will provide, as part of their bar application materials, forms or certificates which the Law School must complete and forward on to the relevant bar admission authority. Some states do not provide such forms or certificates, but do require a letter from the Law School; usually the letter must contain particular information.

Below at Section 4.14 is a J.D. Degree Course & Credit Worksheet and a Diploma Privilege Course & Credit Worksheet (combined in one file). You can use these to keep track of both your J.D. Degree Requirements and your Diploma Privilege Requirements.

4.13 Graduation Information

For detailed information on graduation degree requirements, please refer to the Graduation & Bar Admission sections above. Careful completion of the JD/Diploma Privilege Graduation Credit Evaluation Worksheet (available at the end of this section) tracks the requirements for graduation and eligibility for diploma privilege. Contact Law School Registrar Amy Arntsen with questions or concerns.

Graduation information is available on the Law School’s Commencement page and the UW Commencement page.

Students carrying old incompletes should finish their work for these classes well before the end of the semester in which they plan to graduate. This is necessary so the work can be graded and the proper paperwork completed before the end of the semester.

4.13.1 Preparing for Graduation Checklist

View the UW's Graduation Checklist for all UW students.

This is the Law School Graduation Checklist:

4.13.2 Applying to Graduate

  1. Informing the University of your Graduation Intentions: The graduation application is available in the Student Center via MyUW. To apply for graduation, indicate the term (semester and year) in which you will complete all degree requirements and indicate attendance/no attendance at a university commencement ceremony (which is separate from the Law School Hooding ceremony). Commencement preferences can be selected from the drop-down menu on the "Apply for Graduation" page. For help applying for graduation or selecting a commencement ceremony, see the Applying for Graduation instruction page.
  2. Name Verification: Verify that your name, as indicated in your Student Center, appears exactly as you want it to read in the commencement program and on your diploma. If you have designated a 'preferred name' you may select it as the name to appear in the UW commencement program. To change any aspect of your official name (use of middle name, etc.) follow the instructions for updating Personal Information in UW Records.
    1. The University Registrar can add accents, tildes, and other “special characters” to a “degree name” in SIS that will be used on the diploma. You are welcome to email the University Registrar at registrar@em.wisc.edu with the request and they will enter the corrected name as your degree name. It must still match your primary/legal name in the student record system in other ways (e.g., the University Registrar can’t add a middle name that isn’t already part of your primary name), but it can include the appropriate letters so that your name displays accurately on the diploma. If you have questions about diplomas or the student record system, please contact the University Registrar directly at registrar@em.wisc.edu.
  3. Informing the Law School of your Graduation Intentions: The Law School’s Graduation Intentions form is emailed to 3Ls in September. Complete this form and return it to the Law School Registrar (Room 5107 or registrar@law.wisc.edu).  This informs the Law School of your intent to graduate, so that the Registrar can ensure your graduation eligibility and send you important information regarding graduation, commencement, and admission to the bar. The list generated from the returned Graduation Intentions form is also used as a release by the Board of Bar Examiners for required file checks of character and fitness. View the Graduation Intentions form (PDF).

4.13.3 Commencement Ceremony Options

Students have several options with regard to participation in commencement ceremonies and may participate in the ceremony(ies) that best suit(s) them, or no ceremony at all.

Graduates may choose to attend any or all of the ceremonies listed below under their graduation month. It is important that students notify the Law School Registrar Amy Arntsen of commencement ceremony intentions so their names are included in the appropriate commencement program(s). Keep in mind that each ceremony requires a cap and gown rental (the Law School Hooding Ceremony and the UW Student Commencement in May use the same academic attire rental). Specific dates of the ceremonies are available on the Law School’s Commencement page and the UW Commencement page.

Commencement Ceremony Options for:

4.13.4 Graduation Invitations

We encourage students to celebrate these special graduation events with family and friends. There is no limit to the number of guests graduates may invite to commencement events. Law School graduation invitations can be ordered online from C.B. Announcements, Jostens, and Herff Jones, through The University Book Store's Graduation page.

4.13.5 Honors & Dean’s Academic Achievement Award

  1. Dean's Academic Achievement Award: Graduating students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.35 at the end of their penultimate semester receive a Dean’s Academic Achievement Award, which allows them to wear the honors stole at the commencement ceremony. Once the Law School Registrar has determined eligibility for the Dean’s Academic Achievement Awards, students are notified and the list is sent to the University Book Store. The store allows those students to rent the red honors stole to wear at commencement. Stoles are picked up at the same time as the cap and gown. Please note that receiving a Dean's Academic Achievement Award is not the same as graduating "with honors." The Law School does not calculate final grade point averages to determine honors until well after the commencement ceremonies.
  2. Graduation Honors: Many students who receive a Dean’s Academic Achievement Award also receive cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude honors after calculation of final grade point averages. Those who graduate with honors receive a Law School certificate that recognizes their honors status. These certificates are mailed two months after graduation, so MyUW accounts should include post-graduation addresses. Graduation honors appear on the official transcript but not on the diploma. For more information on graduation honors, see Section 9.7.

4.13.6 Academic Regalia for Graduation Ceremonies (Attire)

Candidates must wear the academic attire appropriate to the degree to be conferred. Juris Doctor is a doctorate degree. The gown for UW Law School graduates is called the doctor-of-law or juris doctorate gown and the hood is purple. Learn more at UW Campus Commencement: About the Attire.

Rental Agency: The University Book Store (711 State St., 608-257-3784) handles all arrangements for tams, gowns, hoods, and honors stoles. Order your commencement attire by phone, in-store or online. Orders for academic attire should be made as early as possible through The University Book Store. Academic attire ordering deadlines are on the University Book Store website.

4.13.7 Diploma and Degree Posting Information

  1. Diploma Information: All diplomas are handled by the Office of the Registrar, 333 East Campus Mall #10101, 608-262-3811. The office is open Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Email: registrar@em.wisc.edu. Your official graduation date is not the date of the commencement or hooding ceremony but the university's degree conferral date. The official graduation date may be found at the UW Registrar's Graduation, commencement, and conferral date page. This official degree conferral date will be on the diploma and on your transcript.
    • Domestic First Class: Diplomas will be mailed out approximately 12 to 14 weeks after graduation at no charge. Diplomas will be mailed to the graduate's home address, with the exception of international addresses (see below). Students should be sure that their home address is up-to-date through their Student Center in MyUW and will be accurate after graduation.
    • International Airmail: Graduates who wish to have their diploma mailed outside of North America at no charge must provide a Diploma address in order for the diploma to be mailed. You can add or edit a diploma address via your Student Center (The Diploma address can be the same as your home address). Questions of any kind regarding diploma mailing can be sent to degreeaudit@em.wisc.edu.
    • Holds: Students who have holds placed on their records will not receive their diplomas until those holds are cleared. Information on how to clear holds is available on UW Registrar's Fines and Holds.
    • Diploma Cover: May graduates receive the red diploma covers at the Open House or from the front desk.   December graduates receive their diploma covers when they cross the stage at the UW Winter Commencement Ceremony. Graduates not participating in a commencement ceremony can pick up a diploma cover from the Office of the Registrar, Student Services, 333 E. Campus Mall, Room 10101. The office is open Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
  2. Posting of Degrees: Once your degree is posted it will show under the Degree Summary link in the Student Center on MyUW. At that point the degree will also appear on your transcript.

4.13.8 Ordering Transcripts

Order official transcripts through the UW Registrar's Transcripts. There is no charge for transcripts sent electronically or by U.S. Postal Service. Official transcripts will not include Law School GPA or rank. If you have a financial or other record hold you will not be able to request a transcript until holds are cleared. A hold can only be cleared/removed by the department that placed it. Information on record holds can be checked through your Student Center.  For more information on transcripts, see Section 9.6.

4.13.9 Graduation Class Rank

December and May graduates are combined into one graduating class for the purposes of ranking. The graduation class rank is computed once per year after all grades for spring semester have been processed and final GPAs calculated (usually early July). August graduates do not receive a graduation class rank but may rely on the law school ranking tables. 

To obtain a statement of class rank, graduates should make a request in writing to the Law School Registrar, Room 5107 Law School, 975 Bascom Mall, Madison, WI 53706, or at registrar@law.wisc.edu.

4.13.10 The Order of the Coif

Elections to the Order of the Coif are made once a year, combining December, May and August graduates into one election. Notifications of election to the Order of the Coif are usually sent in late fall, so December graduates wait almost a full year to learn whether or not they have been elected to the Order. Graduates must keep email and mailing addresses current on MyUW in order to receive notification of election and Coif certificates. For more information on the Order of the Coif, please see Section 9.7 Honors and Awards.

4.13.11 Bar Admission

Wisconsin Bar admission via diploma privilege requires that the Application for Character and Fitness Certification be filed with the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners. As a rule, for May graduates the application early filing date is December 15, with applications accepted until the final deadline of July 1; for December graduates the early filing date is July 15, applications accepted until the final deadline of February 1; for August graduates the early filing date is March 15, applications are accepted until the final deadline of October 1. (If the final deadline falls on a weekend the BBE may choose to extend the deadline). If you miss the final deadline altogether, you will have forfeited the opportunity to apply for Diploma Privilege and will have to sit for the Wisconsin Bar Examination.

There is a significant financial incentive to file an application by the early filing date. An application is considered filed when all three of the following items have been received:

  1. Application form;
  2. Authorization and release form; and
  3. Filing fee

Students who have been cleared for Wisconsin Bar admission via diploma privilege have up to one year from the date of graduation to be admitted. There are no exceptions to this rule. Information and filing instructions along with the application packet are available at the Wisconsin Supreme Court Board of Bar Examiners website.

For detailed information on the diploma privilege, please refer to Section 4.7.

December and May graduates who have been cleared for Wisconsin Bar admission under the diploma privilege and for whom all grades (temporary or final) are received may take part in the respective group bar-admission ceremonies (see below, and also Section 4.8).

Federal Bar admission for the Western District of Wisconsin takes place on the same day as the Wisconsin Bar admission for May graduates. See Section 4.9 Admission to the Bar of U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Graduates who will be practicing in Milwaukee will be in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Admission is purely voluntary and may be handled by mail at a later time. See Section 4.10 Admission to the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Other Federal Courts, U.S. Supreme Court.

Applying for Bar Exams in States other than Wisconsin, see Section 4.12 Bar Admission in States Other Than Wisconsin. All forms and certificates that are to be completed by the Law School should be sent to Registrar Amy Arntsen.

4.13.12 Swearing-In Ceremonies

The swearing-in ceremonies are not part of the graduation events and not held on the same day as the graduation ceremonies.

The swearing-in ceremonies for admission to the Wisconsin and federal courts, held a few weeks after graduation, are important events for graduates. The courts set the date and notify graduates. These are formal ceremonies and professional business attire is required. There are group swearing-in ceremonies for the Wisconsin state courts for May and December graduates. August graduates receive information about scheduling swearing-in ceremonies after submitting their applications to the Board of Bar Examiners. There is a group swearing-in for U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin for May graduates.

  1. Group Swearing-In for May Graduates: These ceremonies are under the authority of the courts and not the Law School. Please direct questions to the particular court.

    • State of Wisconsin:To participate in the group swearing-in ceremony, students must file their Application for Character and Fitness Certification to the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners according to a schedule set by the board and their applications must be deemed complete by the board staff. Those unable to complete their files in time for the group swearing-in will receive information from the board about scheduling their swearing-in once they complete their application files. The Dean's Certificate is automatically sent to the BBE for all graduates.  You do not need to request this document for admissison to the Wisconsin Bar. 

      The group swearing-in ceremonies for the Wisconsin state courts take place in the Wisconsin Supreme Court chambers at the State Capitol and last approximately one hour. Graduates are divided into groups of approximately 30-35. Final group assignments are not set until the week before the ceremony. The Board of Bar Examiners notifies participants of the time of their ceremony.

      After being sworn in at the Supreme Court, participants must sign the Supreme Court’s Roll of Attorneys and turn in a completed enrollment form. Afterward, there is a reception for the graduates, families and friends, usually at the Madison Club, sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

      Those unable to make the group swearing-in for admission of diploma-privilege students should contact the Board of Bar Examiners at 608-266-9760 and see 4.11 Diploma Privilege: Other Swearing-in Options.

    • U.S. District Court: The group swearing-in ceremony for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin is held at the Robert W. Kastenmeier U.S. Courthouse, 120 North Henry St., Madison, and usually takes place a few hours after the state court ceremony. Please arrive at least 15 minutes before the ceremony to allow time to go through the security check and get to the second floor. You must have been already admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin by being sworn-in before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in order to be admitted to the Western District.

      Those not planning to participate in the U.S. District Court group swearing-in ceremony who wish to be admitted later can make arrangements with the District Court. See Section 4.9 Admission to the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. Those wishing to be admitted to the Eastern District should contact the Milwaukee office directly. See Section 4.10 Admission to the Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Other Federal Courts, U.S. Supreme Court.

    • Other Options: For other swearing-in options, including early admission and out-of-state swearing-in, see Section 4.11 Diploma Privilege: Other Swearing-in Options.

  2. Group Swearing-In for December Graduates: This ceremony is under the authority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, not the Law School. Usually the ceremony is combined with the swearing-in of the Marquette University December graduates. To participate in the group swearing-in ceremony, students must file their Application for Character and Fitness Certification to the Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners according to the schedule set by the board, and the applicant files must be deemed complete by board staff. Students unable to complete their files in time for the group swearing-in will receive information from the board about scheduling their swearing-in once they complete their application files.

    The group swearing-in ceremony for the Wisconsin state courts takes place in the Wisconsin Supreme Court chambers at the State Capitol. The Board of Bar Examiners will notify participants about the time of the ceremony. After the Supreme Court swearing-in, participants must sign the Supreme Court’s Roll of Attorneys and turn in their completed enrollment form. Those unable to make the group swearing-in time should contact the Board of Bar Examiners at 608-266-9760 or see the other swearing-in options.

    For other swearing-in options, including early admission and out-of-state swearing-in, see Section 4.11.

    There is no group swearing-in for the U.S. District Court for December graduates. See Section 4.9.

4.13.13 Office of Career & Professional Development Graduation Information

Visit the Office of Career & Professional Development for more information.

4.13.14 Financial Information for Graduates

View the Law School's Financial Aid Information for graduating law students, including information on loan repayment and understanding your rights and responsibilities as a borrower.

4.14  JD/Diploma Privilege Worksheets

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