Formal Admission to the Massachusetts Bar

There are three (3) options for finalizing admission to the Massachusetts Bar.

1. Alternate Admission can be scheduled after the required materials are received by mail (USPS).
2. Formal In-Person Admission will be scheduled for a date and time during the week of November 17, 2025.
3. Virtual Admission will be scheduled for a time on Friday, November 7, 2025.

Formal Admission

For those petitioners reported qualified for admission by the Board of Bar Examiners to the Massachusetts Bar, the Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for The County of Suffolk, Allison S. Cartwright, conducts the official admission session at The Great Hall at Faneuil Hall in Boston. The sessions are held twice annually, generally in Spring and Fall. 

The fall sessions will be scheduled for a date and time during the week of November 17^th. 

After receipt of the passing results from the examination, and with no other outstanding requirements, petitioners will receive an Invitation For Admission from the Clerk. The Invitation directs each Petitioner to respond to the Court within five (5) days with their choice of admission. If a Petitioner does not respond, the type of admission defaults to the alternate admission procedure. Following the response deadline, each Petitioner will receive a Notice to Appear. The Notice provides the date, time and details for their choice of Admission Session. 

The Admission Sessions are generally organized alphabetically by Last Name. The Alternate Admission is at the convenience of the Petitioner. The Virtual Admission offers unlimited guests whereas the Formal Admissions at the Great Hall limits guests to three (3) per Petitioner.

Petitioners will be directed to assigned seats as they enter the venue, while guests will continue to the guest seating area. The Session is a formal session of the Court, presided over by a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court and conducted by Clerk Cartwright. The session is comprised of greetings from bar association officers, the administration of Oaths, remarks by the Justice, signing of the Roll of Attorneys and the presentation of the licenses.

The entire session is approximately 1.5 - 2 hours. Tickets for guests will be provided at the venue. It is general admission seating for guests. Photos and videos by guests are allowed during the session, as long as it does not cause any distraction from the Court session. 

Additional information regarding the formal ceremony process:

• Information is sent to the email address on record with the Court. Please be sure to check your SPAM or Junk Mail folders.
• Your Invitation For Admission requires a response detailing:
  • Type of Admission
  • Confirmation of Petitioner Name and Address information
• Your Notice To Appear providing further details about your choice of admission is sent after the response deadline.
  • Alternate Session: Requisite materials will be released at the conclusion of all other admission activities.
  • Formal Session: Details, Day and Time, limited guest number and having an additional response deadline, if applicable.
  • Virtual Session: Day, time and details with guest information.
• Existing fire laws, as well as seating capacity at the venue, determines the number of guests permitted for each petitioner. (Generally, three (3) guests are permitted.
• The session is a Court session. You must wear the appropriate attire.
• Photography is permitted provided it is not a distraction from the session of the Court or the ceremony.
• You may begin to practice as a Massachusetts attorney at the conclusion of your admission.
• This office will forward your name, address and date of admission to the Board of Bar Overseers. The Board of Bar Overseers will forward the registration materials to you. You must register within 90 days of your admission. While you await receipt of your Bar Registration number or your bar card, it is advised that you use "pending" in lieu of a Bar Registration number.

Alternate Admission Procedure

The alternate admission procedure allows the qualified petitioners to be sworn into the Massachusetts Bar at a different time and location than the official admission ceremonies.

The petitioner is mailed the admission materials, consisting of the official Massachusetts Attorney's Oaths and the official Roll of Attorneys card. Upon receipt of the admission materials, it is the responsibility of the petitioner to find the appropriate authority to administer the Massachusetts Attorney's Oaths.

A petitioner may appear at the office of the Supreme Judicial Court for The County of Suffolk, and be administered the Oaths and sign the Roll of Attorneys. 

If the petitioner is resides in another County in Massachusetts or in a different jurisdiction, it is incumbent upon him/her to find out who is authorized to administer said Oaths within that jurisdiction.

Once the Massachusetts Attorney's Oaths are administered and  the Roll of Attorneys is signed, the materials must be returned to the office of the Supreme Judicial Court for The County of Suffolk. If you do not return the materials by hand to the Court, it is suggested that you use a tracking option with any delivery method you choose. Upon receipt by the Court, the petitioner becomes a member of the Massachusetts Bar.

Additional information about the three options for alternate admission:

• Admission by the SJC - By Appointment Only: Due to capacity limitations, an appointment is required to schedule your appearance before a clerk of the SJC whether you choose option A or B listed below. You must request an appointment for either admission option (A or B) by emailing [e-mail]. Include your name, case number, and preferred dates for your appearance. An appointment cannot be scheduled sooner than 5 days of the received email. The Court will try to accommodate your request.

Options A and B:

1. Remote (virtual) admission via a Zoom video conference. This option is available any Wednesday at 10:00 AM (except holidays). You will be forwarded information pertaining to the Zoom session, including a Meeting ID and Password the day before your appointment.
2. In-person admission at the John Adams Courthouse (address listed above). This option is available on Wednesday at 10:30 AM.

• Admission In-Person by a Superior Court Clerk Outside of Suffolk County: A Superior Court Clerk within the Commonwealth but outside of Suffolk County may administer the Massachusetts Attorney’s Oaths as described above. Contact that Superior Court Clerk's office for information to schedule a date and time.
• Admission In-Person but Outside of Massachusetts: Contact that state’s highest court or bar examiners to determine who administers that attorney’s oaths in that state. Whoever has the authority to admit attorneys in that state has the authority to administer the oaths for attorneys on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. If you are outside the United States, you may appear at either a U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate to have a person with oath administering authority execute the Massachusetts Attorney’s Admission Procedure.
• You may begin to practice as a Massachusetts attorney once you have officially been admitted to the bar. Your official date of admission is the date you were administered the oath. However, the Supreme Judicial Court will not recognize that date until the completed admission materials have been returned to the Office of the Clerk for The County of Suffolk.
• After you have been admitted, the Office of the Clerk for The County of Suffolk will forward your name, address and date of admission to the Board of Bar Overseers. The Board of Bar Overseers will forward the requisite registration materials to you. You must register within 90 days of your admission. While you await your Bar Registration number or your bar card, it is advised that you use "pending" in lieu of the Bar Registration number.