Ky. Sup. Ct. Order 2025-43 SCR 2.090

Rule 2.090 shall read:

(1) A person who meets all requirements of paragraph 2(a) through (j) of this

Rule may be admitted to the practice of law in Kentucky.

(2) The applicant must:

(a) have earned a Legacy UBE score of 266 or higher or a NextGen UBE

score of 616 or higher in five (5) or fewer attempts on the Legacy UBE or

NextGen UBE taken in any jurisdiction;

(b) have earned the score required in subparagraph (2)(a) in an

administration of the Legacy UBE or NextGen UBE that occurred within

five (5) years of the date of application for admission pursuant to this

Rule;

(c) intend to engage in the practice of law in Kentucky as set out in SCR

2.013, 3.020, and 3.022;

(d) meet the educational requirements set out in SCR 2.014;

(e) have achieved the required score on the Multistate Professional

Responsibility Examination as set out in SCR 2.015;

(f) be a member in good standing in all jurisdictions where the applicant

has been admitted;

(g) not be currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject of a pending

disciplinary complaint or matter in any jurisdiction;

(h) possess the good character and fitness to practice law in Kentucky as

determined by the Character and Fitness Committee; and

(i) certify that he or she has read and will follow the Kentucky Rules of

Professional Conduct.

(3) The Application for Admission by Transferred Bar Examination

Score shall be filed with the Kentucky Office of Bar Admissions on a verified

form approved by the Board. The application shall be accompanied by a

nonrefundable fee of $875.00 for applicants whose Legacy UBE or NextGen

UBE score was reported not more than twelve (12) months before the

application date, as measured from the date the score was released by the

National Conference of Bar Examiners, and $1,200.00 for applicants whose

Legacy UBE or NextGen UBE score was reported more than twelve (12) months

before the application date, along with written confirmation issued by the

National Conference of Bar Examiners that the applicant has submitted a

request for an Official Legacy UBE or NextGen UBE Transcript to be sent

directly to Kentucky. An applicant shall file with the Character and Fitness

Committee such other affidavits, certificates, documents, and materials as

shall be required to satisfy the Committee, pursuant to SCR 2.040, of the

applicant's good moral character and fitness to be a member of the Bar of this

Commonwealth.

SCR 2.113 Military spouse provisional admission

Rule 2.113 shall read:

(1) Requirements. A person who meets all requirements of subparagraphs (a)

through (m) of paragraph 2 of this Rule may, upon motion, be provisionally

admitted to the practice of law in Kentucky.

(2) Required Evidence. The applicant for provisional admission shall submit

evidence satisfactory to the Kentucky Board of Bar Examiners that he or she:

(a) has been admitted by examination to practice law before the Court of

last resort of any jurisdiction of the United States;

(b) holds a Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the

American Bar Association at the time of such applicant's graduation;

(c) has achieved a passing score on the Multistate Professional

Responsibility Examination as it is established in Kentucky at the

time of application;

(d) is currently an active member in good standing in the bar of at least

one jurisdiction of the United States where the applicant is admitted

to the unrestricted practice of law, and is a member in good standing

in all jurisdictions where the applicant has been admitted;

(e) is not currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject of a

pending disciplinary matter in any other jurisdiction;

(f) possesses the good character and fitness to practice law in Kentucky;

(g) is the dependent spouse of an active-duty service member of the

United States Uniformed Services as defined by the Department of

Defense (or, for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service

in the Navy, by the Department of Homeland Security) and that the

service member is on military orders stationed in the Commonwealth

of Kentucky;

(h) is physically residing in Kentucky;

(i) has submitted all requested character investigation information, in a

manner and to the extent established by the Board of Bar Examiners,

including all required supporting documents;

(j) has successfully completed the New Lawyer Program as set out in

SCR 2.017;

(k) certifies that he or she has read and is familiar with the Kentucky

Rules of Professional Conduct; and

(l) has paid such fees as may be set by the Board of Bar Examiners to

cover the costs of the character and fitness investigation and the

processing of the application.

(3) Issuance, Duration, and Renewal:

(a) The Board of Bar Examiners having certified that all prerequisites

have been complied with, the applicant for provisional admission

shall, upon payment of applicable dues and completion of the other

membership obligations, become an active member of the Kentucky

Bar Association. An attorney provisionally admitted pursuant to this

Rule shall be subject to the same membership obligations as other

active members of the Kentucky Bar Association, and all legal services

provided in Kentucky by a lawyer admitted pursuant to this Rule shall

be deemed the practice of law and shall subject the attorney to all

rules governing the practice of law in Kentucky, including the

Kentucky Rules of Professional Conduct.

(b) A provisional admission may be renewed by July 31 of each year,

upon filing with the Kentucky Bar Association (i) a written request for

renewal, and (ii) compliance with the membership obligations of the

Rules of the Supreme Court of Kentucky applicable to active members

of the Kentucky Bar Association. Provisional admission under this

Rule may be renewed no more than four (4) times.

(c) When the active-duty service member is assigned to an

unaccompanied or remote follow-on assignment and the attorney

continues to physically reside in Kentucky, the provisional admission

may be renewed until that unaccompanied or remote assignment

ends, provided that the attorney complies with the other requirements

for renewal.

(4) Events of Termination. An attorney's provisional admission to practice law

pursuant to this Rule shall immediately terminate and except as provided in

subsection (i) of this Rule, the attorney shall immediately cease all activities

under this Rule upon the occurrence of any of the following:

(a) The spouse's discharge, separation, or retirement from active duty in the

United States Uniformed Services, or the spouse's no longer being on

military orders stationed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, except as

provided in section 3(c) of this Rule;

(b) The attorney's failure to meet the annual licensing requirements of an

active member of the Kentucky Bar Association;

(c) The attorney no longer physically residing within the Commonwealth of

Kentucky;

(d) The attorney ceasing to be a dependent as defined by the Department of

Defense (or, for the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a service in

the Navy, by the Department of Homeland Security) on the spouse's

official military orders;

(e) The attorney being admitted to practice law in this Commonwealth under

an admissions rule other than that of Provisional Admission;

(f) The attorney being suspended from the practice of law in Kentucky or in

any other state;

(g) Request by the attorney; or

(h) Upon the occurrence of a terminating event the attorney may continue

the work that commenced prior to the terminating event until new

counsel is retained.

(5) Notices Required:

(a) An attorney provisionally admitted under this Rule shall provide written

notice to the Kentucky Bar Association of any Event of Termination

within thirty (30) days of the occurrence thereof.

(b) Within thirty (30) days of the occurrence of any Event of Termination, the

attorney shall:

i. provide written notice to all of his or her clients that he or she can no

longer represent such clients and furnish proof to the Executive

Director of the Kentucky Bar Association within sixty (60) days of

such notification; and

ii. file in each matter pending before any Court or tribunal in this

Commonwealth a notice that the attorney will no longer be involved in

the matter, which shall include the substitution of the local counsel,

or such other attorney licensed to practice law in Kentucky selected

by the client, as counsel in the place of the provisionally admitted

attorney.

(6) Benefits and Responsibilities. An attorney provisionally admitted under this

Rule shall be entitled to the benefits and be subject to all responsibilities

and obligations of active members of the Kentucky Bar Association, and

shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts and agencies of the

Commonwealth of Kentucky and to the Kentucky Bar Association with

respect to the laws and rules of this Commonwealth governing the conduct

and discipline of attorneys to the same extent as an active member of the

Kentucky Bar Association.

This Order shall be effective October 31, 2025, and until further Order of

this Court.

Entered this 31st day of October, 2025.

All sitting; all concur.

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CHIEF JUSTICE