Supreme Court of Arkansas
Opinion delivered July 1, 2004

Per Curiam. The Arkansas Bar Association (Association) has petitioned the Court to adopt a mandatory professional practicum for new admittees to the Bar of Arkansas. The Association, through the work of its House of Delegates and Professional Practicum Committee, has submitted a detailed outline for the program. The Professional Practicum Committee reviewed programs currently in existence in over twenty states in developing its proposal. The purpose of the Professional Practicum is to enhance the public's confidence in the legal profession and to promote lawyers' professionalism and ethical conduct. The petition was referred to the Supreme Court Continuing Legal Education Board for review and comment.

The work of these groups has resulted in recommendations to the Court for a Professional Practicum Rule and the creation of a Professional Practicum Committee. We have reviewed the recommendations and approve them. We hereby adopt the Professional Practicum Rule as it appears on the attachment to this order. It shall be effective for new admittees after January 1, 2005. It is designated as Administrative Order No. 17. We create the Supreme Court Professional Practicum Committee as set out on the attachment to this order. Appointments to the Committee will be made by a separate order.

We thank the Arkansas Bar Association, the Association's Professional Practicum Committee, and the Continuing Legal Educational Board for their work on this project.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICUM RULE

Each person admitted to the Bar of Arkansas (Bar), by examination, after January 1, 2005, shall complete a professional practicum. The course shall be completed within two years after the date an attorney is certified for admission to the Clerk of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

The goal of the professional practicum is to enhance the quality of legal services provided to the public. The professional practicum shall consist of not less than one day's instruction, focusing on lawyers' roles as an officer of the court and as a member of the Bar, and lawyers' relation to community, clients, and courts, and may include topics regarding the professional and ethical implications of private and non-private practice. The course is not designed to address the topic of law office economics. The practicum shall also focus on the practical aspects of practicing law in Arkansas and common areas of disciplinary concerns. The course will not be an overview of traditional law school courses.

The practicum will be organized, prepared, and presented under the direction of the Professional Practicum Committee (Committee) of the Supreme Court of Arkansas. The Committee may present the program itself or through contract with a third-party provider, which may be the Arkansas Bar Association.

Upon good cause shown by motion, an attorney may be entitled to an extension of time in which to meet this requirement. Such relief shall extend to the immediately succeeding professional practicum only. "Good cause," for purposes of this rule, means military service or a family or medical emergency during or immediately before a scheduled professional practicum.

An attorney who fails to meet this requirement shall have his or her license suspended. Such suspension shall be lifted only upon completion of the professional practicum.

The Office of Professional Programs (Office) shall be the repository for all records pertaining to administration of this rule. The Office shall be responsible for providing notice to all persons seeking admission to the Bar of this requirement, course dates and locations. Further, the Office shall maintain all records pertaining to compliance and provide all notices required for enforcement of the provisions of this rule.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICUM COMMITTEE

There is hereby established a Professional Practicum Committee (Committee) composed of five members, one from each Congressional District (as now or hereafter constituted) and one from the State at large. The Court shall appoint the Chair of the Committee.

The Committee shall organize, prepare, and present, the professional practicum as established by order of this Court.

Each appointee shall serve a term of six (6) years, unless otherwise designated by this Court. Vacancies occurring from causes other than expiration of term of office will be filled by the Court as they occur, and the person so appointed shall serve the remainder of the term of his or her predecessor. Members shall continue to serve beyond their designated term until such time as their successor is qualified and appointed by the Court.

A fee, as established by the Court, shall be set for applications to take the professional practicum. Remittances for such fee shall be made by money order or cashier's check payable to the Clerk of the Supreme Court. Fees thus provided shall be used by the Committee to defray the expenses of the professional practicum. Members of the Committee may be entitled to receive per diem, and reasonable reimbursement for expenses of meals, lodging, and transportation as may be set from time to time by order of this Court.