Supreme Court temporarily waives in-person Attorney’s Oath for new lawyers

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The Wisconsin Supreme Court has temporarily waived a requirement that applicants qualified for admission to practice law in Wisconsin must take the Attorney’s Oath in person before a justice or judge.

The high court issued the order on Wednesday as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The order said qualified applicants certified for admission by the Board of Bar Examiners will be able to complete the process by submitting required materials to the Board and the Clerk of Supreme Court. The instructions are detailed in the order.

The order affects more than 300 prospective lawyers.

“The Court recognizes that the delay in bar admissions may have significant professional consequences for some people. Accordingly, the Court finds good cause to temporarily modify the procedures for admission to the bar to accommodate this extraordinary situation,” the order said.

Admission ceremonies scheduled for April 16, May 18 and May 27 have been indefinitely postponed. The tradition of the signing of the roll of attorneys has also been postponed.

Applicants must still meet all requirements of admission to the bar and enroll in the State Bar of Wisconsin once admitted to practice law. Details can be found in the order. Follow @natebeck9