It is very difficult to find work as a military spouse and an attorney due to the frequent moving and the license requirements in each new state.
We are trying to get this changed and have state bar associations to offer a provisional membership to attorneys who are in the state due to military orders.
Would you be interested in a legal career if the license was more portable? If you are an attorney what is your experience of how difficult/easy the practice of law has been for you.
That would be a good idea if you can get it passed. You have a tough row to hoe on this one though. Texas and Louisiana would be reluctant to get on board with this idea because the law is so much different in those two states. Florida already has some pretty severe restrictions in place for getting a license, mostly as an anti-snowbird thing.
According to a former brother-in-law, once you are admitted to the bar in one state then you can argue cases in a federal court in any state. There may be some other types of cases that you can take regardless of where you are licensed. Filings with the SEC or the Comptroller of the Currency come to mind as does, possibly, bankruptcies as these are all federal filings rather than state. Finally, certain jobs that usually require a law degree but don't require the practice of state law exist such as working with the FBI or IRS.
Good luck in your push to get provisional licensing. This could be quite helpful.
I am an army spouse with a law degree, and this would be a huge win if someone manages to put it in place. I just spent quite a bit of money getting licensed via reciprocity at our new duty station, and just found out that we'll only be here another year!!! There's gotta be a better way . . . .
Originally posted by fapurdie: I am an army spouse with a law degree, and this would be a huge win if someone manages to put it in place. I just spent quite a bit of money getting licensed via reciprocity at our new duty station, and just found out that we'll only be here another year!!! There's gotta be a better way . . . .
Totally off your topic - but my last name is Purdie and there are not alot of Purdie's in America that I know of (family is from Scotland). Is this your last name?
All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity.
RCC, you might have a better chance of getting a response from fapurdie through a friend request. She only has two posts with the most recent being in January.
Originally posted by mturnb: RCC, you might have a better chance of getting a response from fapurdie through a friend request. She only has two posts with the most recent being in January.
I would BUT, with the profile thingy messed up I can't - tried that first and did do a friend invite. Just have to wait and see if she response.
Thanks
All opinions I express on this web site are as a private individual. I am not representing my employer in any shape, means, form, manner or in any official capacity.
Sorry for joining this discussion so late, but I too have faced some difficulties -in choices and options - with being a military spouse and an attorney. In fact, I have been living in a separate state from my husband for quite a while because of the significant burden and expense of getting licensed somewhere new for what will be a temporary period of time. With so many states and entities aiming to become more military friendly these days, it seems like state bars should be willing to establish a temporary reciprocity and licensure policy for spouses at a portion of the cost of a "permanent" license.
