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Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program

The Arizona Supreme Court has recently launched a first-of-its-kind program, designed to address the shortage of legal professionals in rural areas and public law firms: the Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP). Arizona currently ranks 49th in the nation for lawyers per capita, leaving many communities underserved. This shortage not only delays court proceedings but also restricts access to legal guidance and representation. ALAP offers a new path to becoming a licensed attorney, with the goal of improving access to justice and in turn revitalizing public confidence in the legal profession.

To qualify for an ALAP license, applicants must:

• Graduate from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Achieve a score of 260-269 on the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) on an examination administered after July 1, 2023.
• Secure qualifying employment and commit to practice under the supervision of a qualified Arizona attorney in rural Arizona or in a public law practice, for a minimum of two years.
• Meet all other requirements for admission to practice law in Arizona, including passing the MPRE, completing the Arizona Law Course, filing a Character & Fitness application, and passing a thorough background investigation.

HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates should ensure they meet all eligibility requirements before applying. For more information about ALAP and its eligibility requirements, you can review the Frequently Asked Questions on the ALAP website ALAP - Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (azcourts.gov) and you can also review the Arizona Supreme Court's Administrative Order implementing the program, AO 2024-148.

STEP ONE: Request and submit a completed FBI fingerprint card.

If you have NOT already submitted a completed FBI fingerprint card, you will need to email a request for the standard FBI fingerprint card to Attorney Admissions at attorneyadmissions@courts.az.gov and provide your current mailing address in your email. Please put “Fingerprint Card Request” in the subject line of your email. Live-scan or ink prints must be affixed to the card. To ensure timely processing, the completed fingerprint card should be mailed so that it arrives within 5 days of your application submission.

THIS IS THE ONLY DOCUMENT TO BE MAILED TO OUR OFFICE.

Mail completed fingerprint card to:

Arizona Supreme Court
Attorney Admissions
1501 West Washington Street, Suite 104
Phoenix, AZ 85007

STEP TWO: Establish Attorney Admissions account in Arizona.

If you did NOT sit for the UBE in Arizona, you will need to create an account for Attorney Admissions in Arizona. You can easily do so by clicking on the red "Register" button in the top, right-hand corner of this webpage. Once you have an Attorney Admissions account, you will be able to upload all supporting documentation required for both your Character and Fitness application and your ALAP application.

STEP THREE: Complete and submit your Character and Fitness application.

You MUST submit a Character and Fitness application before you can be certified eligible for ALAP licensure. To complete a Character and Fitness application and for general information, checklists, fees, and other forms, please visit Character and Fitness -- Application and Information.

STEP FOUR: Submit a valid MPRE score.

You will need to submit evidence of a minimum passing score of 85 on the MPRE. If you have NOT taken the MPRE, you will need to take the exam and submit a passing MPRE score before you can be eligible for ALAP licensure. To request that NCBE send an MPRE score report or to register to take the next scheduled MPRE, visit NCBE’s website at https://www.ncbex.org.

STEP FIVE: Completion of Arizona Law Course.

For registration information on how to fulfill this requirement, please visit the Arizona Law Course Online Registration https://www.azcourts.gov/educationservices/Committees/JCA/Online-Registration. Your completion of all online modules triggers an internal notice to our staff, so you do not need to upload or submit a certificate of completion.

STEP SIX: Complete and submit an ALAP application. If you sat for the UBE in Arizona, we already have your UBE score and proof of graduation, so you do not need to upload proof.

If you did NOT sit for the UBE in Arizona, you will need to provide the following proof of eligibility as part of your ALAP application:

• Upload or transmit an official UBE score transcript from NCBE showing a score of 260-269 on an exam administered after July 1, 2023. Instructions for requesting an official UBE transcript can be found on the UBE Score Transcript Services page on NCBE’s website at https://www.ncbex.org.
• Upload proof of graduation from an ABA-accredited law school, using one of these three options: a copy of your diploma, an official transcript from your law school, or a current, official letter from your law school indicating JD conferral.

All ALAP applicants MUST secure qualifying employment and have a qualified supervising attorney before an ALAP license can be issued. ALAP applicants who HAVE secured qualifying employment will need to submit a completed and signed ALAP Supervising Attorney Affidavit with the ALAP application. Click here to view and download a copy of the affidavit, if not already completed.

Applicants who HAVE NOT secured qualifying employment will be asked to acknowledge that to remain eligible for ALAP licensure, applicants must secure qualifying employment and have a qualified supervising attorney in a public law firm or in a rural area, for at least 30 hours of paid work per week, within 12 months following September 1, 2024, or the UBE score notification date, whichever is later. A "rural area" is defined as any Arizona county with a population of fewer than 600,000 in the most recent census. "Public law" is defined as providing legal services for a government or non-profit public law firm.

STEP SEVEN: Submit a completed, signed ALAP Supervising Attorney Affidavit.

If you HAVE secured qualifying employment, your supervising attorney will need to complete and sign the ALAP Supervising Attorney Affidavit for our review. Once your supervising attorney completes and signs the affidavit, you will need to upload the affidavit to your account.

All ALAP applicants MUST secure qualifying employment and have a qualified supervising attorney before an ALAP license can be issued.

STEP EIGHT: (if applicable): Upload evidence of Certified Limited Practice Graduate.