Supreme Judicial Court Rules  Section 3.4: Law school graduate student practitioner certification (Effective August 1, 2026)

A law school graduate who is certified at the time of graduation in accordance with this rule may continue to appear as a student practitioner after graduation until expiration of the certification pursuant to Section 3.4(d) provided that the graduate has otherwise complied with all the requirements of this rule, notifies the Clerk in writing, and makes a timely application to sit for the first bar examination following graduation.

A law school graduate who was previously certified during law school in accordance with this rule may apply for a new certification to appear as a student practitioner after graduation. To obtain this certification, the graduate shall file such forms as the Clerk may prescribe, setting forth the following information:

• (i) a statement that the graduate was previously certified pursuant to this rule and the name of the law school clinical program, Commonwealth entity, organization providing civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons, or law firm providing pro bono civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons through which the student previously appeared;
• (ii) the name of the Commonwealth entity, organization providing civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons, or law firm providing pro bono civil legal aid or criminal defense to indigent persons through which the student will be appearing after graduation;
• (iii) a statement confirming the date that the law degree was conferred;
• (iv) a statement that the graduate is scheduled to sit for the first bar examination following graduation; and
• (v) the name and Board of Bar Overseers registration number of the student's supervising attorney(s).

A law school graduate from an accredited law school who has been certified in another jurisdiction within the United States under an equivalent student practice rule may apply for certification to appear as a student practitioner after graduation. To obtain this certification, the graduate shall file such forms as the Clerk may prescribe, including the following:

• (i) the information required by Section 3.4(b)(ii)-(v);
• (ii) a verification that the graduate was certified to appear as a student practitioner in another jurisdiction with a copy of that jurisdiction's student practice rule; and
• (iii) a statement affirming in writing that the graduate is familiar with the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct, the Massachusetts Rules of Civil Procedure, the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure, and the provisions of this rule.

The law school graduate's certification shall expire if the graduate did not sit for or pass the first available bar examination following graduation from law school. Any graduate who continued to appear as a student practitioner must notify the Clerk within seven (7) days from:

• (i) the first date of the bar examination if the student practitioner did not sit for the first available bar examination following graduation from law school; or
• (ii) the announcement of bar results if the student practitioner did not pass the first available bar examination following graduation from law school.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Supreme Judicial Court, the certification of any graduate who passes the first available bar examination following graduation from law school shall continue in effect until the sooner of:

• (i) six months after the date of the bar examination; or
• (ii) the date of the graduate's admission to the bar.