House Counsel

Notice: Please be advised that due to a required systems update related to the Bar Exam application, all saved application drafts – across all application types – will only be available through Sunday, December 21.

As of Monday, December 22, applicants must have either:

• Submitted their application
• Retained a printed or saved copy for their records

Application drafts will not be accessible after December 21 and cannot be recovered.

The Idaho State Bar uses an online application form that enables you to apply to take the Idaho Bar Exam, to transfer your Uniform Bar Examination (“UBE”) score to Idaho, as an Experienced Attorney Applicant (i.e., admission without examination based on practice experience), or for an Idaho House Counsel license.

We recommend that you draft and save your responses to the online application questions in another program, such as Microsoft Word, then copy and paste that information into the online application form. This process will ensure that your work has been saved in the event of a problem with the submission of your online application.

We also recommend that you do not keep a draft application saved for more than 7 days. In order to avoid any technical problems with your submission, it is best to open the online application, complete it and submit it within 7 days.

Requirement. Any attorney employed as set forth below is required to be actively licensed or licensed as house counsel.

Qualifications.  A House Counsel Applicant must show to the satisfaction of the Board that the Applicant:

1. Meets the qualifications for admission under Rule 202;
2. Maintains an office for the practice of law limited to a house counsel practice within the state of Idaho on behalf of his or her employer;
3. Is admitted to practice law before the highest court of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia whose requirements for admission are commensurate with Idaho, including passing a qualifying bar examination for such admission;
4. Is employed as house counsel by a company, association, or other business entity whose business is not engaged in the selling or furnishing of legal advice or services to others;
5. Is not currently suspended or disbarred in any state in which the Applicant is admitted; and 
6. Has submitted:
   1. Proof of employment with the company, association, or other business entity; or
   2. Confirmation of an offer of future employment with the company, association, or other business entity, provided that the house counsel license shall not be effective until such employment commences.

Idaho Bar Commission Rules

Application Fee: $800.00

Request a Copy of a Previously Filed Application

The Idaho State Bar charges a $25.00 fee for all copies of previously filed applications. To obtain a copy or copies of your application, please submit a written request accompanied by the $25.00 fee for each copy to:

Admissions Department
Idaho State Bar
PO Box 895
Boise, ID  83701

Be sure to list the name and mailing address for the receipt of each copy and whether a certified statement should accompany the copy.