Overview of Membership Classifications
Members of the State Bar are classified as follows: Active, Affiliate, Inactive, Retired, Suspended, or Judicial. Disbarred and Resigned persons are not members of the Bar. Reference: Rules 31, 32, Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. and ACJA 7-210
Active Members:
Active members pay an annual membership fee and are required to comply with Arizona's mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements. See Rule 45, Ariz. R. Sup. Ct.
Affiliate Members:
Legal Paraprofessionals (LP) are affiliate members of the Bar. LP's pay an annual membership fee and are required to comply with Arizona's mandatory continuing legal education (MCLE) requirements. See Rule 45, Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. ACJA 7-210
Legal Paraprofessionals are licensed to provide legal services in limited practice areas:
- Family Law
- Limited Jurisdiction Civil Cases
- Limited Jurisdiction Criminal Cases
- State Administrative Law
Inactive Members:
Inactive members may not practice Arizona law. If admitted and active in another jurisdiction, may practice there. Inactive members pay an annual membership fee, but are not required to comply with Arizona's MCLE requirements.
Retired Members:
Retired members may not practice in Arizona or any other jurisdiction of the United States. Exception regarding Arizona practice - Retired members may provide volunteer legal services to approved legal services organization pursuant to Rule 38, Ariz. R. Sup. Ct.
Retired members pay an annual membership fee but are not required to comply with Arizona's MCLE requirements.
Retired Members 35+ years of service:
Retired Members with 35+ years of membership with the State Bar of Arizona pay a reduced annual membership fee but are not required to comply with Arizona's MCLE requirement. Click here for the current Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Order.
Judicial Members:
Eligibility for Judicial Status: Justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the Court of Appeals and Superior Court, and the US District Court for Arizona, and retired justices and judges who are eligible for temporary judicial assignment and are not engaged in the practice of law. Also, full time commissioners, city or municipal court judges, tribal court judges, judges pro tempore or justices of the peace not engaged in any degree of law practice, and justices or judges of other courts of record outside of Arizona. A Judicial member who retires or resigns from the bench and wishes to return to practicing law must return to Active status.
Judicial members pay an annual membership fee but are not required to comply with Arizona's MCLE requirements.