Article VII: Attorney Admission and Discipline | PART A. ADMISSION TO THE BAR
Rule Text
Every applicant seeking admission to the bar on examination shall have pursued a course of law studies and fulfilled the requirements for and received a first professional degree in law (J.D. or L.L.B.) from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. Each applicant shall make proof that he has completed such law study and received a degree, in such manner as the Board of Admissions to the Bar shall require. A Master of Laws (L.L.M.), Doctorate in Law (S.J.D.), or a degree equivalent to either of these is not a first professional degree in law.
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
To become a lawyer in Illinois by taking the bar exam, you must have earned a J.D. or L.L.B. degree from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. These are the standard law degrees most law students earn after three years of school.
Higher law degrees like a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) or a Doctorate in Law (S.J.D.) do not count. Even though these are advanced degrees, the rule does not treat them as the basic law degree needed to sit for the bar exam.
You will also need to show proof that you completed your degree. The Board of Admissions to the Bar decides exactly how you must provide that proof.
Summary generated April 01, 2026
Committee Notes
No committee notes available for this rule.
Amended September 28, 1977, effective October 15, 1977; amended September 14, 1984, effective September 14, 1984; amended June 12, 1992, effective July 1, 1992; amended May 29, 2025, eff. immediately.
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