Ill. S. Ct. R. 756

(a) Annual Registration Required. Except as hereinafter provided, every attorney admitted

to practice law in this state shall register and pay an annual registration fee to the Commission on

or before the first day of January. Every out-of-state attorney permitted to appear and provide legal

services in a proceeding pursuant to Rule 707 shall register for each year in which the attorney has

such an appearance of record in one or more proceedings. All fees paid pursuant to this rule shall

be deemed earned and non-refundable on and after the first day of January. Penalties paid pursuant

to this rule prior to the repeal of its penalty provision shall be deemed earned and non-refundable.

Except as provided below, all fees paid pursuant to this rule shall be retained as a part of the

disciplinary fund. The following schedule shall apply beginning with registration for 2025 and

until further order of the Court:

(1) No registration fee is required of an attorney admitted to the Illinois bar less than one

year before the first day of January for which the registration fee is due. An attorney admitted

to the Illinois bar for more than one year before the first day of January for which the

registration fee is due shall pay an annual registration fee of $385, out of which $20 shall be

remitted to the Lawyers’ Assistance Program provid er, $10 shall be remitted to the Supreme

Court Commission on Access to Justice, $95 shall be remitted to the Lawyers Trust Fund, $25

shall be remitted to the Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, and $25 shall be

remitted to the Client Protection Program Trust Fund. An out-of-state attorney permitted to

appear and provide legal services pursuant to Rule 707 shall pay a registration fee of $121 for

each year in which the attorney’s appearance is of record in one or more such proceedings if a

per-proceeding fee is required in any such proceeding under Rule 707(f).

(2) An attorney on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States shall be exempt

from paying a registration fee until the first day of January following discharge.

(3) An attorney serving in one of the following offices in the judicial branch shall be

exempt from paying a registration fee until the first day of January following the end of the

attorney’s service:

(A) in the office of justice, judge, associate judge or magistrate of a court of the United

States of America or the State of Illinois; or

(B) in the office of judicial law clerk, administrative assistant, secretary or assistant

secretary to such a justice, judge, associate judge or magistrate, or in any other office

included within the Supreme Court budget that assists the Supreme Court in its adjudicative

responsibilities, provided that the exemption applies only if the attorney is prohibited by

the terms of his or her employment from actively engaging in the practice of law.

(4) Upon written application and for good cause shown, the Administrator may excuse the

payment of any fee due pursuant to this rule in any case in which payment thereof will cause

undue hardship to the attorney. For purposes of this rule, undue hardship is defined as adjusted

gross income of the attorney’s household that is at or below two times the poverty guidelines

established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services for the Contiguous

48 States and the District of Columbia, in effe ct at the time of attorney’s submission of the

hardship application. The attorney’s application shall set forth the adjusted gross household

income and the number of dependents set forth on the federal income tax return filed by the

attorney for the preceding year or, if no return was filed that sets forth household income,

information that would permit calculation of adjusted household income. A copy of the federal

income tax return, including all schedules, for the preceding year, if any, must be included as

part of the application. The Administrator may require that the attorney submit other

information and records that the Administrator deems necessary to determine undue hardship.

The Administrator may also take into account other extraordinary economic circumstances.

Information provided pursuant to paragraph (a)(4) of this rule shall be deemed confidential

pursuant to this rule.

(5) An attorney may advise the Administrator in writing that he or she desires to assume

inactive status and, thereafter, register as an inactive status attorney. The annual registration

fee for an inactive status attorney shall be $121. Upon such registr ation, the attorney shall be

placed upon inactive status and shall no longer be eligible to practice law or hold himself or

herself out as being authorized to practice law pursuant to the attorney’s Illinois law license,

except as is provided in paragraph (k) of this rule. An attorney who is on the master roll as an

inactive status attorney may advise the Administrator in writing that he or she desires to resume

the practice of law, and thereafter register as active upon payment of the registration fee

required pursuant to this rule. If the attorney is restored to active status after having paid the

inactive status fee for the year, the attorney shall pay the difference between the inactive status

registration fee and the registration fee required pursuant to paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(3)

of this rule. Inactive status pursuant to this rule does not include inactive disability status as

described in Rules 757 and 758. Any attorney on inactive disability status is not required to

pay an annual fee.

(6) An attorney may advise the Administrator that he or she elects retirement status. Upon

such election, the attorney shall be placed upon retirement status and shall no longer be listed

on the master roll or be eligible to practice law or hold himself or herself out as being

authorized to practice law pursuant to the attorney’s Illinois law license, except as is provided

in paragraph (k) of this rule. Payment of any reinstatement fee due pursuant to paragraph (i) of

this rule at the time of such election shall be deferred until any request of the attorney to register

on active or inactive status. An attorney on retirement status is relieved thereafter from the

annual obligation to register and pay the registration fee, except as required by paragraph (k)

of this rule. An attorney on retirement status may advise the Administrator that he or she desires

to register as an active or inactive status attorney and, thereafter so register upon payment of

the fee required for the current year for that registration status, plus the reinstatement fee,

including any deferred reinstatement fee, required by paragraph (i) of this rule.

(7) An attorney who is on voluntary inactive status pursuant to former Rule 770 who

wishes to register for any year after 1999 shall file a petition for restoration pursuant to Rule

759. If the petition is granted, the attorney shall advise the Administrator in writing whether

he or she wishes to register as active or inactive or to elect retirement status. If the attorney

wishes to register as active or inactive, the attorney shall pay the reinstatement fee required by

paragraph (i) of this rule, plus the fee required for the current year for that registration status.

If the attorney elects retirement status, payment of any reinstatement fee pursuant to this rule

at the time of the attorney’s election shall be deferred until any request of the attorney to be

reinstated to the master roll.

(8) Permanent Retirement Status. An attorney may file a petition with the Court requesting

that he or she be placed on permanent retirement status. All of the provisions of retirement

status enumerated in Rule 756(a)(6) shall apply, except that an attorne y who is granted

permanent retirement status may not thereafter change his or her registration designation to

active or inactive status, petition for reinstatement pursuant to Rule 767, or provide pro bono

services as otherwise allowed pursuant to paragraph (k) of this rule.

(A) The petition for permanent retirement status must be accompanied by a consent

from the Administrator, consenting to permanent retirement status. The Administrator may

consent if no prohibitions listed in subparagraph (a)(8)(B) of this rule exist. If t he petition

is not accompanied by a consent from the Administrator, it shall be denied.

(B) An attorney shall not be permitted to assume permanent retirement status if:

1. there is a pending investigation or proceeding against the attorney in which clear

and convincing evidence has or would establish that:

a. the attorney converted funds or misappropriated funds or property of a client

or third party in violation of a rule of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct;

b. the attorney engaged in criminal conduct that reflects adversely on the

attorney’s honesty in violation of Rule 8.4(b) of the Illinois Rules of Professional

Conduct; or

c. the attorney’s conduct resulted in an actual loss to a client or other person

and the Court’s rules or precedent would allow for a restitution order for that type

of loss in a disciplinary case, reinstatement case, or Client Protection Program

award, unless restitution has been made; or

2. the attorney retains an active license to practice law in any jurisdictions other

than the State of Illinois.

(C) If permanent retirement status is granted, any pending disciplinary investigation of

the attorney shall be closed and any proceeding against the attorney shall be dismissed. The

Administrator may resume such investigations pursuant to Commission Rule 54 and may

initiate additional investigations and proceedings of the attorney as circumstances warrant.

The permanently retired attorney shall notify other jurisdictions in which the he or she is

licensed to practice law of his or her permanent retirement in Illinois. The permanently

retired attorney may not reactivate a license to practice law or obtain a license to practice

law in any other jurisdiction.

(b) The Master Roll. The Administrator shall prepare a master roll of attorneys consisting of

the names of attorneys who have registered and have paid or are exempt from paying the

registration fee and of recently admitted attorneys who are not yet required to register. The

Administrator shall maintain the master roll in a current status. At all times a copy of the master

roll shall be on file in the office of the clerk of the Court. An attorney who is not listed on the

master roll is not entitled to practice law or to hold himself or herself out as authorized to practice

law pursuant to the attorney’s Illinois law license. An attorney listed on the master roll as on

inactive status shall not be entitled to practice law or to hold himself or herself out as authorized

to practice law pursuant to the attorney’s Illinois law license, except as is provided in paragraph

(k) of this rule. An attorney who has elected retirement status shall not be included on the master

roll, except as provided in paragraph (k) of this rule.

(c) Registration.

(1) Each Illinois attorney is obliged to register on or before the first day of January of each

year unless the attorney has elected retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this rule,

has been allowed to assume permanent retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(8) of this

rule, or has been placed on inactive status pursuant to former Rule 770, except that an attorney

not authorized to practice law due to discipline or disability inactive status is not required to

register until the conclusion of the discipline or disability inactive status.

(2) Registration requires that the attorney provide all information specified pursuant to

paragraphs (c) through (g) of this rule. An attorney’s registration shall not be complete until

all such information has been submitted.

(3) On or before the first day of November of each year, the Administrator shall send to

each attorney on the master roll a notice of the annual registration requirement. The notice may

be sent to the attorney’s listed master roll mail or e-mail address. Failure to receive the notice

shall not constitute an excuse for failure to register.

(4) Each attorney must submit registration information by means of the ARDC online

registration system or other means specified by the Administrator. Registration payments may

be submitted online, by check sent through the mail to the address designated b y the

Administrator, or through other means authorized by the Administrator.

(5) Each attorney shall update required registration information within 30 days of any

change, except for those attorneys relieved of the registration obligation pursuant to a provision

of this rule.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in this rule or Supreme Court Rule 766, information

disclosed pursuant to paragraphs (c) through (g) shall not be confidential.

(d) Disclosure of Trust Accounts. Each attorney shall identify any and all accounts

maintained by the attorney during the preceding 12 months to hold property of clients or third

persons in the attorney’s possession in connection with a representation, as required pursuant to

Rule 1.15(b) of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, by providing the account name, account

number, and financial institution for each account. For each account, the attorney shall also

indicate whether each account is an IOLTA account, as defined in Rule 1.15 C(b) of the Ill inois

Rules of Professional Conduct. If an attorney does not maintain a trust account, the attorney shall

state the reason why no such account is required.

(e) Disclosure of Malpractice Insurance.

(1) Each registering attorney, except for those registering pursuant to paragraphs (a)(2),

(a)(3), (a)(5), and (k)(5) of this rule, shall disclose whether the attorney has malpractice

insurance on the date of the registration and, if so, shall disclose the dates of coverage for the

policy. If the attorney does not have malpractice insurance on the date of registration, the

attorney shall state the reason why the attorney has no such insurance. The reason why the

attorney does not have malpractice insurance shall be confidential. The Administrator may

conduct random audits to assure the accuracy of information reported. Each attorney shall

maintain, for a period of seven years from the da te the coverage is reported, documentation

showing the name of the insurer, the policy number, the amount of coverage and the term of

the policy, and shall produce such documentation upon the Administrator’s request.

(2) Every other year, beginning with registration for 2018, each attorney who discloses

pursuant to paragraph (e)(1) that he or she does not have malpractice insurance and who is

engaged in the private practice of law shall complete a self-assessment of the operation of his

or her law practice or shall obtain malpractice insurance and report that fact, as a requirement

of registering in the year following. The attorney shall conduct the self-assessment in an

interactive online educational program provided by the Administrator regarding professional

responsibility requirements for the operation of a law firm. The self-assessment shall require

that the attorney demonstrate an engagement in learning about those requirements and that the

attorney assess his or her law firm operations based upon those requirements. The self -

assessment shall be designed to allow the attorney to earn four hours of MCLE professional

responsibility credit and to provide the attorney with results of the self-assessment and

resources f or the attorney to use to address any issues raised by the self-assessment. All

information related to the self-assessment shall be confidential, except for the fact of

completion of the self-assessment, whether the information is in the possession of the

Administrator o r the attorney. Neither the Administrator nor the attorney may offer this

information into evidence in a disciplinary proceeding. The Administrator may report self -

assessment data publicly in the aggregate.

(f) Disclosure of Voluntary Pro Bono Service. Each attorney shall report the approximate

amount of his or her pro bono legal service and the amount of qualified monetary contributions

made during the preceding 12 months.

(1) Pro bono legal service includes the delivery of legal services or the provision of

training without charge or expectation of a fee, as defined in the following subparagraphs:

(a) legal services rendered to a person of limited means;

(b) legal services to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental or

educational organizations in matters designed to address the needs of persons of limited

means;

(c) legal services to charitable, religious, civic, or community organizations in matters

in furtherance of their organizational purposes; and

(d) training intended to benefit legal service organizations or attorneys who provide

pro bono services.

In a fee case, a n attorney’s billable hours may be deemed pro bono when the client and

attorney agree that further services will be provided voluntarily. Legal services for which

payment was expected, but is uncollectible, do not qualify as pro bono legal service.

(2) Pro bono legal service to persons of limited means refers not only to those persons

whose household incomes are below the federal poverty standard, but also to those persons

frequently referred to as the “working poor.” Attorneys providing pro bono legal service need

not undertake an investigation to determine client eligibility. Rather, a good-faith

determination by the attorney of client eligibility is sufficient.

(3) Qualified monetary contribution means a financial contribution to an organization as

enumerated in subparagraph (1)(b) which provides legal services to persons of limited means

or which contributes financial support to such an organization.

(4) As part of the attorney’s annual registration fee statement, the report required by

subsection (f) shall be made by answering the following questions:

(a) Did you, within the past 12 months, provide any pro bono legal services as

described in subparagraphs (1) through (4) below? ____ Yes ____ No

If no, are you prohibited from providing legal services because of your employment? ____

Yes ____ No

If yes, identify the approximate number of hours provided in each of the following

categories where the service was provided without charge or expectation of a fee:

(1) hours of legal services to a person/persons of limited means;

(2) hours of legal services to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental

or educational organizations in matters designed to address the needs of persons of

limited means;

(3) hours of legal services to charitable, religious, civic or community organizations

in furtherance of their organizational purposes; and

(4) hours providing training intended to benefit legal service organizations or

attorneys who provide pro bono services.

Legal services for which payment was expected, but is not collectible, do not qualify as

pro bono services and should not be included.

(b) Have you made a monetary contribution to an organization which provides legal

services to persons of limited means or which contributes financial support to such

organization? ____ Yes ____ No

If yes, approximate amount: $_____.

(5) Information provided pursuant to this subsection (f) shall be deemed confidential

pursuant to the provisions of Rule 766, but the Commission may report such information in

the aggregate.

(g) Practice Related Information. Each attorney shall provide the following practice related

information:

(1) An address, e-mail address, and telephone number designated by the attorney as the

attorney’s listings on the master roll;

(2) The attorney’s residential address, which shall be deemed to be the address required by

paragraph (g)(1) above if the attorney has not provided such an address;

(3) The name of all other states of the United States in which the attorney is licensed to

practice law; and

(4) For attorneys on active status and engaged in the practice of law, the type of entity at

which the attorney practices law, the number of attorneys in that organization, the attorney’s

position within the entity, the attorney’s managerial responsibilities within the entity, the

principal areas of law in which the attorney practices, whether the entity has an ethics or

compliance officer or general counsel, and whether that organization has established a written

succession plan.

Information provided pursuant to paragraphs (g)(2) and (g)(4) of this rule shall be deemed

confidential pursuant to this rule. Information pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) shall be confidential

pursuant to this rule for a n attorney registered pursuant to paragraph (a)(5) of this rule, on

retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this rule, on inactive status pursuant to former

Rule 770, on permanent retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(8) of this rule, or exempt from

payment of a fee pursuant to paragraph (a)(3) of this rule. The Administrator may release

confidential information pursuant to paragraph (g)(1) of this rule upon written application

demonstrating good cause and the absence of risk of harm to the attorney. The Commission may

report in the aggregate information made confidential by paragraph (g).

(h) Removal from the Master Roll. On or after February 1 of each year the Administrator

shall remove from the master roll the name of any attorney who has not registered for that year.

An attorney will be deemed not registered for the year if the attorney has not paid all required fees

and has not provided the information required by paragraphs (c) through (g) of this rule. Any

person whose name is not on the master roll and who practices law or who holds himself or herself

out as being authorized to practice law pursuant to the attorney’s Illinois law license is engaged in

the unauthorized practice of law and may also be held in contempt of the Court.

(i) Reinstatement to the Master Roll. An attorney whose name has been removed from the

master roll solely for failure to register pursuant to paragraph (h) of this rule, who has elected

retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this rule, or whom the Supreme Court has ordered

restored to active status pursuant to paragraph (a)(7) of this rule, may be reinstated to the master

roll as a matter of course upon registering and paying the registration fee prescribed for the year

of registration, plus a reinstatement fee. The reinstatement fee shall be the sum of $25 per month

for each month that the attorney was removed from the master roll pursuant to paragraph (h) of

this rule, was on retirement status pursuant to paragraph (a)(6) of this rule, or was on Court ordered

inactive status as referenced in paragraph (a)(7) of this rule, up to a cap of $600. The reinstatement

fee shall include the fee for each month that an attorney was on any of these three statuses, but the

total reinstatement amount due s hall be capped at $600, regardless of the amounts that would

otherwise be due for the cumulative months on each such status.

(j) No Effect on Disciplinary Proceedings. The provisions of this rule pertaining to

registration status shall not bar, limit, or stay any disciplinary investigations or proceedings against

an attorney except to the extent provided in Rule 756(a)(8) regarding permanent retirement status.

(k) Pro Bono Authorization for Attorneys on Inactive or Retirement Status and

Attorneys Admitted in Other States.

(1) Authorization to Provide Pro Bono Services. An attorney who is registered as inactive

pursuant to Rule 756(a)(5) or who has elected retirement status pursuant to Rule 756(a)(6), or

an attorney who is admitted in another state and is not disbarred or otherwise suspended from

practice in any jurisdiction shall be authorized to provide pro bono legal services under the

following circumstances:

(a) without charge or an expectation of a fee by the attorney;

(b) to persons of limited means or to organizations, as defined in paragraph (f) of this

rule; and

(c) under the auspices of a sponsoring entity, which must be a not-for-profit legal

services organization, governmental entity, law school clinical program, or bar association

providing pro bono legal services as defined in paragraph (f)(1) of this rule.

(2) Duties of Sponsoring Entities. In order to qualify as a sponsoring entity, an organization

must submit to the Administrator an application identifying the nature of the organization as

one described in section (k)(1)(c) of this rule and describing any program for providing pro

bono services which the entity sponsors and in which attorneys covered pursuant to paragraph

(k) may participate. In the application, a responsible attorney shall verify that the program will

provide appropriate training and support and malpractice insurance for volunteers and that the

sponsoring entity will notify the Administrator as soon as any attorney authorized to provide

services pursuant to this rule has ended his or her participation in the program. The organization

is required to provide malpractice insurance coverage for any attorneys participating in the

program and must inform the Administrator if the organization ceases to be a sponsoring entity

under this rule.

(3) Procedure for Attorneys Seeking Authorization to Provide Pro Bono Services. An

attorney admitted in Illinois who is registered as inactive or who is on retirement status, or an

attorney who is admitted in another state but not Illinois, who seeks to provide pro bono

services pursuant to this rule shall submit a statement to the Administrator so indicating, along

with a verification from a sponsoring entity or entities that the attorney will be participating in

a pro bono program under the auspices of that entity. An attorney who is seeking authorization

based on admission in another state shall also disclose all other state admissions and whether

the attorney is the subject of any disbarment or suspension orders in any jurisdiction. The

attorney’s statement shall include the attorney’s agreement that he or she will participate in

any training required by the sponsoring entity and that he or she will notify the Administrator

within 30 days of ending his or her participation in a pro bono program. Upon receiving the

attorney’s statement and the entity’s verification, the Administrator shall cause the master roll

to reflect that the attorney is authorized to provide pro bono services. That authorization shall

continue until the end of the calendar year in which the statement and verification are

submitted, unless the attorney or the sponsoring entity sends notice to the Administrator that

the program or the attorney’s participation in the program has ended.

(4) Renewal of Authorization. An attorney who has been authorized to provide pro bono

services pursuant to this rule may renew the authorization on an annual basis by submitting a

statement that he or she continues to participate in a qualifying program, along with verification

from the sponsoring entity that the attorney continues to participate in such a pro gram under

the entity’s auspices and that the attorney has taken part in any training required by the

program. An attorney who is seeking renewal bas ed on admission in another state shall also

affirm that the attorney is not the subject of any disbarment or suspension orders in any

jurisdiction.

(5) Annual Registration for Attorneys on Retirement Status. Notwithstanding the

provisions of Rule 756(a)(6), an attorney on retirement status who seeks to provide pro bono

services pursuant to this rule must register on an annual basis, but is not required to pay a

registration fee or any deferred reinstatement fee pursuant to paragraph (i) of this rule.

(6) MCLE Exemption. The provisions of Rule 791 exempting attorneys from MCLE

requirements by reason of being registered as inactive or on retirement status shall apply to

attorneys on inactive or retirement status who are authorized to provide pro bono services

pursuant to this rule, except that such attorneys shall participate in training to the extent

required by the sponsoring entity.

(7) Disciplinary Authority. Attorneys admitted in another state who are providing legal

services in this jurisdiction pursuant to this paragraph are subject to this Court’s disciplinary

authority and the Rules of Professional Conduct of this jurisdiction, as provided in Rule 8.5 of

the Rules of Professional Conduct of 2010. Any attorney who provides legal services pursuant

to this rule shall not be considered to be engaged in the unlawful practice of law in this

jurisdiction.