What is Voluntary Resignation?
Voluntary resignation is a voluntary action taken by licensed legal professionals to give up the license to practice law, whether because they are retiring, changing careers, or otherwise deciding that they no longer want to have a license to practice law in Washington. After resigning, you are not permitted to practice law.
How do I Voluntarily Resign?
You may request to voluntarily resign your license to practice law in your online license renewal by clicking the Edit button in the License Status box, or by completing and filing the Voluntary Resignation Form.
- You are not permitted to practice law in Washington State, as defined by Washington Supreme Court General Rule 24, after you resign.
- In the event a disciplinary investigation or proceeding is pending or the filing of a grievance of substance is imminent, resignation is permitted only under the provisions of the Washington Supreme Court's Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct (ELC), Rules for Enforcement of LLLT Conduct (ELLLTC) or Rules for Enforcement of LPO Conduct (ELPOC).
- A member shall not be considered resigned from the Association until confirmed in writing.
- Although you may choose to have your license status displayed as "Retired" on the WSBA Legal Directory, the official status is voluntarily resigned.
After voluntarily resigning, you may seek readmission in one of two ways.
- If it has been less than 4 years since you voluntarily resigned, by filing an application for readmission, including a statement detailing the reasons for voluntarily resigning and the reasons for seeking readmission; or,
- If it has been more than four years since you voluntarily resigned, by filing an application for admission by examination, or, for former lawyers, by filing an application for Admission by Motion pursuant to APR 3(c) (if you are licensed to practice law as a lawyer in another U.S. jurisdiction and you have the requisite active legal experience).
The full requirements for readmission from a voluntary resignation can be found here: Facts to Active from Resigned.
Any discrepancy or conflict between the information provided here and the rules and regulations set by the Washington Supreme Court, or the Bylaws and policies of the Washington State Bar Association, is unintentional and will be resolved in favor of strict compliance with the rules, regulations, Bylaws and policies.
