Status Information

Membership Categories 


Active: Any member admitted to practice law in the State of Mississippi and engaged in the practice of law in this state.

Inactive: Any member in good standing not engaged in the practice of law in the State of Mississippi may, upon written request, be enrolled as an inactive member.  Inactive members shall not be entitled to vote or hold office in the association. For the purposes of membership, the "practice of law" shall include any person holding himself/herself out as a practicing attorney, or occupying any position in which he/she may be called upon to give legal advice or counsel, or to examine or pass upon the legal effect of any act, document, or law. An annual fee is required to maintain good standing.

 Exemptions:
 1. Lawyers over the age of 75
 2. Lawyers retired from the practice of law because of age, serious illness or permanent  disability. Illness or disability exemptions require supporting documentation from doctor  or agency certifying the illness or disability to be filed in the member's record
 3. Judges of the Mississippi Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Circuit Courts, Chancery Courts, County Courts, U.S. Magistrates, Bankruptcy Courts, Federal Courts, and Federal  Administrative Law Judges

Status Change
To request a change of status, download one of the following forms and send to  Membership Records, The Mississippi Bar, P.O. Box 2168, Jackson, MS 39225-2168.

• Change of Status--Active to Inactive
• Change of Status--Inactive to Active

 
Penalty for Non-payment of Enrollment Fees/Reinstatement
Under Mississippi Law (73-3-127 MCA (1972)), members failing to pay enrollment fees 90 days after notices have been mailed are suspended from membership in The Mississippi Bar.
To be reinstated following suspension, Mississippi law requires payment of delinquent fees and a penalty (for each year remaining suspended) in an amount equal to one-half (1/2) of the delinquent fee.
For more information, contact the Membership Department at [email protected] or 601-355-4619.


Demographics 
The Mississippi Bar was founded in 1906 and in 1932 the Legislature unified the Mississippi Bar (made membership mandatory). Today Mississippi is one of 35 unified state Bars.  There are over 11,100 members (active and inactive) of the Mississippi Bar. There are members in all 50 states. 

Almost half of the active lawyers in Mississippi practice in the Jackson metropolitan area. The second largest concentration of lawyers in Mississippi is on the Gulf coast. Just over 30% of active Mississippi lawyers are female and approximately 12% are minority practitioners.


Membership Data