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Instructions to Applicants for Certification as Legal Interns

In order to determine whether you are eligible to receive a legal intern certificate, you should read Rule II of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar.

If you wish to apply for a legal intern certificate, you must submit all of the following:

  1. a Certificate of Educational Requirements for Limited Practice as Legal Intern completed and signed by the dean of the law school in which you are enrolled, certifying (a) that you satisfy Sections 2(A) and (B) of Gov. Bar R. II and (b) that the dean does not have knowledge of any information that would cause the dean to doubt your character, fitness, and moral qualifications to practice law;
  2. a Certificate of Supervising Attorney completed and signed by your supervising attorney, certifying that your supervising attorney will perform all duties required pursuant to Gov. Bar R. II, Section 7;
  3. a properly executed Oath of Legal Intern in which you swear or affirm that you have read and agree to be bound by Gov. Bar R. II, Gov. Bar R. IV, and the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Supreme Court; and
  4. a fee of $25, by certified check or money order made payable to the Supreme Court of Ohio.

All forms needed for completion of Items 1-3 are available online.  The information you provide on the forms must be typed.

Upon receipt of a complete request for a legal intern certificate, your request will be processed and, if all eligibility requirements are met, a legal intern certificate will be issued to you.  The certificate will be sent to the law school in which you are enrolled.

If you have any questions regarding certification as a legal intern or any provisions of Rule II, contact the Office of Bar Admissions of the Supreme Court of Ohio at 614.387.9340.  Applications for legal intern certificates and any additional supervising attorney certificates should be mailed to the following address:

Office of Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of Ohio
65 South Front Street, 5th Floor
Columbus, Ohio  43215-3431

The supervising attorney must meet the following criteria:

  1. Has been admitted to the practice of law in Ohio pursuant to Gov. Bar R. I or has been temporarily certified to practice law in Ohio pursuant to Gov. Bar R. IX;
  2. Is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the attorney is admitted to practice law;
  3. Is either employed by or associated with a law school clinic, legal aid bureau, public defender's office, or other legal services organization that provides legal assistance primarily to financially needy individuals or is responsible for handling civil cases or prosecuting criminal cases for the state of Ohio or a municipal corporation.

NOTE: If it is not clear as to the type of legal work the intern will be performing, the Office of Bar Admissions may reach out to the applicant for clarification.

Pursuant to Gov. Bar R. II, Sec. 7, the duties are as follows:

  • A supervising attorney shall assume professional responsibility for each case, client, or matter assigned to the legal intern by that supervising attorney. The supervising attorney shall read and cosign all correspondence, legal documents, pleadings, and other papers prepared, in whole or in part, by the intern relating to any matter assigned to the legal intern by that supervising attorney. In any matter before a court or administrative board or agency in which a legal intern participates upon assignment by the supervising attorney, the supervising attorney shall ensure that the judge, referee, magistrate, or hearing officer is informed of the legal intern's status as a legal intern and shall be present with the legal intern in court or before the administrative board or agency, except as provided by Section 5(E) of this rule. 
  • The supervising attorney shall provide the legal intern with the opportunity to engage in and observe the practice of law, shall discuss and counsel the intern regarding matters of professional responsibility that arise, and shall train and supervise the legal intern on matters assigned to the intern by that supervising attorney to the extent necessary to properly protect the interests of the client and to properly advance and promote the intern's training.
  • The supervising attorney shall cooperate with the legal intern's law school on any reporting or evaluation requirements regarding an award of academic credit to the legal intern.

The applicant must meet either of the following criteria:

  1. The applicant shall be enrolled in an ABA approved law school and meet all of the following requirements:
    1. Have received at least one-third of the total hourly academic credits required for graduation;
    2. Be approved for a legal intern certification by the dean of the law school in which the applicant is enrolled;
    3. Have read and agreed to be bound by this rule, Bar R. IV, and the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Supreme Court.
  2. The applicant shall be a graduate of an ABA approved law school and meet both of the following requirements: 
    1. Have applied to take or has taken and is awaiting the results of the first Ohio bar exam following graduation;
    2. Have read and agrees to be bound by this rule, Gov. Bar R. IV, and the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Supreme Court.

In order to apply for a legal intern certificate, you must have a valid NCBE number. If you do not already have an NCBE number, or if you do not remember your NCBE number, you may obtain the NCBE number at Create Account - NCBE Account (ncbex.org).

The legal intern certificate license expires upon the occurrence of one of the following:

  1. On the date, prior to graduation, the legal intern is no longer enrolled in an ABA approved law school;
  2. On the date the legal intern graduates from law school, if the legal intern has not applied to take the first Ohio bar examination following graduation;
  3. On the Monday after distribution of the results of the first Ohio bar examination following the legal intern's graduation from law school. If the legal intern passes the bar examination, the legal intern's certificate shall continue in effect until the legal intern is admitted to the practice of law in Ohio so long as the legal intern is admitted to practice within 12 months following that bar examination. If the legal intern is not admitted to the practice of law in Ohio within 12 months following that bar examination, the legal intern certificate shall automatically expire.

Upon receipt of a complete request for a legal intern certificate, your request will be processed and, if all eligibility requirements are met, a legal intern certificate and receipt for payment will be issued to you via email only. The card will be a printable PDF.

You will receive your legal intern certificate via email.  Please allow up to 1-2 weeks for processing.

Our office will accept a scanned Certificate of Educational Requirements for Limited Practice as a Legal Intern form, but it must be sent directly from your law school to baradmissions@sc.ohio.gov. All other documents must be original and mailed to our office.

Yes. Both supervising attorneys will need to complete the Certificate of Supervising Attorney form.

You are not required to submit a new application and fee when you have a new supervising attorney. The new supervising attorney will need to complete the Certificate of Supervising Attorney form.

Admission Applications

Contact Information

Office of Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of Ohio
65 South Front Street, 5th Floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Director:
Michel Jendretzky, Esq.

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