Rule 719 - Admission of Military Spouse Attorneys From Other Jurisdictions(a) Eligibility. A lawyer admitted to the practice of law in another state or the District of Columbia who meets the educational requirements of Rule 703 may receive a license to practice law in this state if the lawyer is: (1) identified by the Department of Defense (or, for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in the Navy, by the Department of Homeland Security) as the spouse of a service member of the United States Uniformed Services; and/or is a party to a civil union with a service member pursuant to the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act; and(2) is residing-or intends, within the next six months, to be residing-in Illinois due to the service member's military orders for a permanent change of station to the State of Illinois. (b) Application Requirements. To qualify for the license the applicant must file with the Board of Admissions to the Bar the following: (1) a completed application for license and a completed character and fitness registration application in the form prescribed by the Board; (2) a certificate of good standing from the highest court of each jurisdiction of admission;(3) a certificate from the disciplinary authority of each jurisdiction of admission which: (a) states that the applicant has not been suspended, disbarred or disciplined and that no charges of professional misconduct are pending; or (b) identifies any suspensions, disbarments, or disciplinary sanctions and any pending charges;(4) a copy of the service member's military orders reflecting a permanent change of station to a military installation in Illinois; and(5) such other affidavits, proofs and documentation as may be prescribed by the Board. (c) Fee Waiver. The requisite fees in accordance with Rule 706 will be waived for all lawyers complying with the requirements of Rule 719. (d) Character and Fitness Approval. Each applicant for a license under this rule must receive certification of good moral character and general fitness to practice law by the Committee on Character and Fitness in accordance with the provisions of Rule 708.(e) Certification by the Board. In the event the Board of Admissions to the Bar shall find that the applicant meets the requirements of this rule and has received from the Committee on Character and Fitness its certification of good moral character and general fitness to practice law, the Board shall certify to the Court that such applicant is qualified for licensure. (f) Duration and Termination of License. The license and authorization to perform legal services under this rule shall be limited by the earliest of the following events: (1) the service member is no longer a member of the United States Uniformed Services; (2) the military spouse attorney is no longer married to the service member; (3) a change in the service member's military orders reflecting a permanent change of station to a military installation other than Illinois, except that if the service member has been assigned to an unaccompanied or remote assignment with no dependants authorized, the military spouse attorney may continue to practice pursuant to the provisions of this rule until the service member is assigned to a location with dependants authorized; or (4) the lawyer is admitted to the general practice of law under any other rule of this Court. In the event that any of the events listed in subparagraph (f)(1)-(3) occur, the attorney licensed under this rule shall notify the clerk of the Supreme Court of the event in writing within one year of the date upon which the event occurs and upon such notification, the license and authorization to perform services under this rule shall be terminated.
(g) Annual Registration. Once the Court has conferred a license to perform legal services under this rule, the lawyer must register with the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and pay the fee for active lawyers set forth in Rule 756 for the year in which the license is conferred and for any subsequent year into which the license extends. (h) Discipline. All lawyers licensed under this rule shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Court for disciplinary purposes to the same extent as all other lawyers licensed to practice law in this state.(i) Credit Toward Admission on Motion. The period of time a lawyer practices law while licensed under this rule shall be counted toward his or her eligibility for admission on motion under Rule 705.Adopted June 18, 2013, eff. 7/1/2013.