On behalf of the Bar Admissions Ceremony Committee of the Young Lawyers Division of The Mississippi Bar, congratulations on the completion of your studies and on passing the Mississippi Bar Examination. Welcome to The Mississippi Bar and the Young Lawyers Division. In light of COVID-19, please follow the steps below to be admitted to practice law in Mississippi. The following are required for admission to be licensed to practice law in Mississippi. 

Step 1: Admission to Chancery Court (Required)

You must first be admitted in either the Chancery Court of your residence; the Chancery Court of the County in which you intend to practice law or in the Chancery Court of Hinds County. Representatives from the Hinds County Chancery Court will be present at the ceremony to process your application. To be admitted in Chancery Court, you will need the documents outlined below. Please note the Chancery Court will not accept sample forms for original pleadings. You must retype the sample documents listed below. 

1. Exparte Petition for License to Practice Law (signed and notarized prior to the day of admittance) [CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE]
2. Certificate of Eligibility from MS Board of Bar Admissions [CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE]
3. Oath to Practice Law [CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE]
4. Decree Granting License to Practice Law [CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE]
   1. Please note that you will need this certified copy of the decree to be admitted to The MS Bar and the other courts.
5. Include a typed note with your complete mailing address so they can mail you a certified copy of your decree. [CLICK HERE FOR COVER LETTER]
6. $148 filing fee (check made payable to Chancery Clerk of Hinds County)

Contact Hinds County Chancery Court Clerk’s Office:
Phone: (601) 968-6537 or (601) 968-6520
Email: Nikia Felton - [email protected] or Valerie Moton - [email protected]

Please call (601-714-6309) to schedule an appointment if you wish to appear at a later date.

*** Step 2 and 3 can’t be completed until you have received the certified copy of the decree from the Chancery Court.***

Step 2:  Enrollment with The Mississippi Bar (Required)

If you are attending the Bar Admissions Ceremony:

Membership with The Mississippi Bar is mandatory in order to practice law in Mississippi. Representatives from the Membership Department will be present at the ceremony to accept your Enrollment Form and Enrollment Fee (both are included in the packet). If you are being admitted between August and March, the enrollment fee is $100. If you are being admitted between April and July, the fee is $25. Please complete the steps below to become a member of The Mississippi Bar. You must be a member of The Mississippi Bar in order to practice law in Mississippi. You must also complete and submit the following forms:

Mississippi Bar Enrollment Information Form

Mississippi Bar Enrollment Fee Payment Form

If you are not attending the Bar Admissions Ceremony:

You must contact both the Chancery and Supreme Courts separately. You must first be sworn into a Chancery Court in the State of Mississippi to practice law in this state. After you are sworn into a Chancery Court, you must complete and mail the 1) MS Bar Enrollment Form, 2) a copy of your Chancery Court Decree, and 3) your enrollment check or credit card form (see fee amounts above) to: The Mississippi Bar, ATTN: Membership Department, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225.

Questions? Contact The Mississippi Bar:
Phone: (601) 948-4471
Email: Membership Department - [email protected]

Mailing Address:
The Mississippi Bar
Attn: Membership Department Enrollment Form
P.O. Box 2168
Jackson, MS 39225-2168

Step 3: Admission to the Mississippi Supreme Court

If you are attending the Bar Admissions Ceremony:

A representative from the Supreme Court Clerk’s office will be present at the ceremony to process all applicants. You will need to present the certified copy of your Chancery Court Admissions Decree and a copy of your Bar Admission certificate. You will receive your Bar Number at this table. There is a $30.00 fee for admission to the Mississippi Supreme Court and checks should be made payable to Supreme Court Clerk. If you have any questions concerning the Supreme Court procedure, please call Supreme Court Clerk’s office at (601) 359-3694.

If you are not attending the Bar Admissions Ceremony:

You will need to contact the Clerk’s office for an appointment to be sworn in. For additional questions, please contact the Clerk’s office.

Questions? Contact the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office:

Email - [email protected]

Physical Address:                              Mailing Address:
Gartin Justice Building                       Mississippi Supreme Court
450 High Street                                   ATTN: Clerk’s Office
Jackson, MS 39205                             P.O. Box 249
(601) 359-3694                                   Jackson, MS 39205

Additional Optional Admissions

Admission to U.S. District Courts in Mississippi and U.S. Court of Appeals is optional. Once you have been admitted to the above courts and The Mississippi Bar, you are eligible to be admitted to the following:

1. U.S. District Court for the Northern District

Representatives will be present at the ceremony to assist with your admissions process. If you are attending the ceremony, you must provide the following:

1. Completed Oath on Admission Form, including your signature and MS Bar Number and the signature and MS Bar Number of your sponsoring attorney [CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE FORM]
2. $209.00 Admission Filing Fee (check or money order only) made payable to “Clerk, U.S. District Court.” The completed form and fee must both be provided on the day of the ceremony. If you do not have a sponsoring attorney, there will be an attorney seated at the registration table to assist you.

If you do not complete the admissions process at the ceremony and wish to seek admission at a later date, please refer to the court's website at www.msnd.uscourts.gov for admission instructions.

Questions? Northern District Contact Information:
Phone: Clerk of the Northern District (Oxford) - (662) 234-1971
Email: [email protected]

Mailing Address:
Office of the Clerk
ATTN: U.S. District Court
911 Jackson Ave., Ste. 369
Oxford, MS 38655

2. U.S. District Court for the Southern District

Representatives will be present at the ceremony to assist with your admissions process. If you are attending the ceremony, you must provide the following:

1. Completed Oath on Admission Form [CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE FORM]
2. $209 Admission Filing Fee - check or money order made payable to “U.S. District Court.” If you are paying with cash, you must have exact change.

After you are sworn in at the Bar Admissions Ceremony, you will need to request e-filing privileges in the Southern District of Mississippi. To request e-filing privileges, you must obtain an individual PACER account if you do not already have an individual PACER account. To obtain an individual PACER account, please visit www.mssd.uscourts.gov/nextgen-information.

If you already have an individual PACER account, please visit www.mssd.uscourts.gov/attorney-admissions-page and select the ‘Already Admitted but needing to Register for E-filing’ link and follow the instructions for e-file registration.

If you are unable to appear at the ceremony, then you will be required to personally appear before a District Judge or Magistrate Judge in accordance with the regulations of Uniform Local Rule 83.1.

Questions? Southern District Contact Information:

Phone: Southern District of Mississippi Clerk’s Office (Jackson) – Attorney Admissions (601) 608-4028
Email: [email protected]

Mailing Address:
Clerk, U.S. District Court
ATTN: Attorney Admissions
501 E. Court Street, Suite 2.500
Jackson, MS 39201

3. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Court

New admissions to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit can only be done online. 

There is an initial application fee of $231.00. Thereafter, members of the Bar must renew their admission every five years. There is a $50.00 fee for each renewal. 

Please follow these instructions:

1. Go to http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov
2. Click on “Attorney Information” on the maroon bar
3. Select “Membership”
4. Select “Application and Oath for Admission”
5. Follow the instructions for “New Admission” on the webpage.

Contact the Clerk’s office in New Orleans - (504) 310-7947