The process in Texas is not based on reciprocity with other jurisdictions. Attorneys meeting the requirements may apply for admission.
After graduating from a law school approved by the American Bar Association with a doctor of jurisprudence degree, candidates must then take the bar examination – a comprehensive test of knowledge in many areas of law.
The mission of the State Bar of Texas is to support the administration of the legal system, assure all citizens equal access to justice, foster high standards of ethical conduct for lawyers …
With 95,437 active members, the State Bar of Texas is one of the largest state bars in the United States. Unlike the American Bar Association (ABA), the State Bar of Texas (SBOT) is a mandatory bar.
Complainants are required to use the State Bar's current grievance form, effective September 1, 2023, to report attorney misconduct. A grievance can be submitted electronically at , or the current grievance form can be downloaded from there.
The country's thirty-one mandatory state bar associations are fac- ing an existential threat following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Janus v. ACSME, 138 S. Ct. 2448 (2018).
The State Bar of Texas is composed of those persons licensed to practice law in Texas and is an "integrated" or "mandatory" bar. The State Bar Act, adopted by the Legislature in 1939, mandates that all attorneys licensed to practice law in Texas be members of the State Bar.
Telephone (800) 204-2222 or (512) 427-1463 and the extension number, as noted for each department, unless another telephone number is given.