Cause of Action | Statute |
---|---|
Legal malpractice: 3 years or 5 years | Va. Code § 8.01-246(2), (4) (2020) |
Libel: 1 year | Va. Code § 8.01.247.1 (2020) |
Medical malpractice: 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A), (C) (2020) |
Personal injury: 2 years | Va. Code § 8.01-243(A) (2020) |
Change your status to Associate. If you are not actively practicing Virginia law, you may consider changing your status to Associate. Associate lawyers pay annual license renewal fees equal to half that of Active lawyers and have no Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) requirements.
To return to Active status you must submit a written request, pay the Active fee (or the difference between the Associate and Active fee if you have already paid the Associate fee for the year), pay the Clients’ Protection Fund fee, pay the Attorney Wellness Fund fee, certify your Professional Liability, and complete your MCLE obligations (see next question) before your status can be changed.
To activate or re-activate your status with the bar you must first satisfy any outstanding MCLE obligations from prior years when you were active (see MCLE Regulation 111 (c) and Paragraph 19 ), including any outstanding MCLE delinquency fee obligations.
The dean of your law school must submit a letter to the Virginia State Bar certifying that you have completed all the necessary requirements as outlined in the Rules of the Virginia Supreme Court, Part 6, Section IV, Paragraph 15. Please review the rules and the sample request letter (Word doc).
The Virginia State Bar cannot change your name until it has been changed with the Supreme Court of Virginia, if you have qualified before the court – or, with the Virginia Board of Bar Examiners, if you have not been licensed.
The Virginia State Bar can be reached by telephone at 804-775-0500 or 1-866-548-0873 outside the 804 area code, by mail at 1111 E. Main St., Suite 700, Richmond, VA 23219 , or online at vsb.org.
The Virginia State Bar is a state agency under the Supreme Court of Virginia. The VSB is in charge of: Attorneys must be licensed by the Virginia State Bar to practice law in Virginia. Lawyers admitted to practice in Virginia must register and pay dues to the VSB.
The Virginia Bar Association can point you to several groups that provide referral services. The VBA does not aid individuals in the selection of attorneys or offer referrals. See find a lawyer.
Pro bono assistance is available to help low-income individuals solve legal problems. Legal Services offices across the state provide this attorneys to help with civil matters. Call 1-866-534-5243 to reach your local legal aid office and confirm your eligibility.
Reach the Virginia State Bar by calling 804-775-0500, by mail at 1111 E. Main St., Suite 700, Richmond, VA 23219, or online at vsb.org. Find a form and more details about inquiries into lawyer conduct on the VSB website.
Referral services charge a small fee that covers your initial consultation with the lawyer. The Virginia Bar Association does not offer attorney referrals. There are, however, a number of referral services in the state.
Take a little time to gain some perspective. Realize this is not the end, but rather another opportunity to accomplish your goal of practicing law. Don’t wait too long, though. Delay can be an excuse not to move forward. Take concrete steps soon to guarantee yourself that you will retake the bar.
The Board of Bar Examiners will send your results to you, and you can take a look at how you did. Many people immediately assume that they should work extra hard on whatever part of the exam they scored the lowest. Someone who didn’t do particularly well on the MBE might conclude they should do much more MBE practice this time.
A lawyer, also called an attorney, is someone who is licensed to practice law. Only a lawyer licensed to practice law in Virginia can provide you legal advice about a legal issue in Virginia.
The disAbility Law Center of Virginia helps people with disabilities obtain services and treatment for disability-related problems like abuse, neglect, and discrimination. Individuals with problems covered by the Center's Program Goals, may receive advocacy services and/or legal representation.
Notarios are not lawyers, cannot give you legal advice, and cannot represent you in court. See the Virginia State Bar for more information about notarios and immigration fraud. Friends. Friends who are not lawyers cannot give you legal advice. Friends cannot represent you in court.
People often find a mediator to be very helpful in resolving their matter, but a mediator is a neutral person, often a non-lawyer, and cannot give you legal advice. Only a lawyer licensed to practice law in Virginia can give you legal advice.