Section 1. Annual Dues
a.
1. Membership dues for the fiscal year from July 1 to June 30 of each year shall be due and payable to the Treasurer on July 1 of each year. For the 2022-23 license year, such dues shall be $324.00 for active members, $202.00 for inactive, and $150.00 for judicial members. [Amended March 8, 2022]
2. A member may become an inactive retired member on a non–dues paying basis by certifying (a) that he/she (i) has been an active member of the Bar of the District of Columbia for five years (two years of any combination of inactive or judicial membership may be substituted for one year of active membership to satisfy this requirement); (ii) has been engaged in the practice of law in the District of Columbia or elsewhere for a total of twenty-five (25) years; and (iii) has retired from the practice of law (except, as provided in D.C. App R. 49, on a pro bono basis), or (b) that he/she is totally disabled and is thus unable to practice law. [Amended February 10, 2020]
b. Any increase of dues shall not take effect until forty-five (45) days after action by the Board of Governors.
c.
1. Any person who is sworn into the Bar between July 1 and December 31 inclusive shall pay a full year's dues; those members who are sworn in between January 1 and April 30 inclusive shall pay one-half the annual dues. Any member who is sworn in after April 30 shall not be required to pay any dues until the following fiscal year.
2. If a member changes status from active to inactive or judicial during the year, there shall be no refund of dues. A change of status from inactive or judicial to active shall require full dues if the change is made on or before December 31, and one-half of the annual dues if the change is made after that date, less any amounts previously paid for that year. There shall be no refund of dues if a member resigns or is suspended for any reason.
3. If a member seeks to change status to active after such attorney has been in any status other than active for five (5) years or more, such attorney shall complete the Course on the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct and District of Columbia Practice (“Mandatory Course” or “Course”) and shall submit certification of completion of the Course at the time of the request for status change. [Amended September 15, 2020]
Section 2. Administrative Suspension for Nonpayment of Dues
a. If the annual dues of any member have not been received by July 15 of the year in which the dues are due and payable, the Treasurer or his/her delegate shall send on forthwith to the member notice that his/her dues have not been paid, that a late charge of $50.00 has been added to the unpaid dues, and further, that unless any unpaid late charges and any unpaid dues are received by September 30, the membership of such member shall be, and hereby is, automatically suspended administratively pursuant to this Section. The date of receipt shall be determined by the actual date of receipt of a payment by mail or a postmark on or before the due date, a delivery service or commercial carrier "ship date," the date on a check issued by an online banking service, the date that the member pays at the District of Columbia Bar's headquarters during normal business hours, the date of an online dues payment, the date on which the member submits valid credit card information via fax transmission to the Member Service Center of the Bar, or by other means as specified by the Board of Governors. In the event of administrative suspension, the Secretary or his/her delegate shall notify the clerks of the Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the suspension. [Amended May 14, 2018]
b. Newly admitted and reinstated members will be invoiced for annual dues in the same month in which they are admitted or reinstated. If the annual dues of any newly admitted or reinstated member are not received sixty (60) days after the date of his/her initial annual dues notice, the Treasurer or his/her delegate shall send to the member notice that his/her dues have not been paid. If the dues of the member have not been received no later than ninety (90) days from the date of the initial annual dues notice, the Treasurer or his/her delegate shall send forthwith to the member notice stating that a late charge of $50.00 has been added to the unpaid dues. Unless the dues and late charge are received no later than one hundred twenty (120) days from the date of the initial annual dues notice, the membership of such member shall be, and hereby is, automatically suspended administratively pursuant to this Section. The date of receipt shall be determined by the actual date of receipt of a payment by mail or a postmark on or before the due date, a delivery service or commercial carrier "ship date," the date on a check issued by an online banking service, the date that the member pays at the District of Columbia Bar's headquarters during normal business hours, the date of an online dues payment, the date on which the member submits valid credit card information via fax transmission to the Member Service Center of the Bar, or by other means as specified by the Board of Governors. In the event of administrative suspension, the Secretary or his/her delegate shall notify the clerks of the Court of Appeals and the Superior Court of the suspension. [Amended April 14, 2015]
Section 3. Reinstatement After Administrative Suspension for Nonpayment of Dues or Failure to Register
a. Any member suspended administratively pursuant to Section 2 (a) or (b) above for failure to pay dues or file a registration statement shall be reinstated by the Chief Executive Officer upon (i) submission of a request, in writing or through such electronic means as the District of Columbia Bar may provide on its website, for reinstatement; (ii) submission of a registration statement, if suspension was for failure to file such; (iii) payment of dues for the year of reinstatement plus, in lieu of any prior year dues or late charges, a reinstatement fee of $280.00; (iv) submission of certification of completion of the Course on the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct and District of Columbia Practice, if such attorney was admitted after July 1, 1994, and has not yet completed the course or such attorney has been suspended for five (5) years or more; and (v) submission of a statement that the member is not suspended, temporarily suspended, or disbarred by any disciplinary authority. In all other instances, reinstatement may be made by the Board of Governors in its discretion and upon such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate. [Amended November 14, 2017]
b. Any member suspended administratively pursuant to Section 2 (a) or (b) for failure to pay the late charge shall be reinstated after payment of the late charge if the request for reinstatement is received by June 30 of the fiscal year in which the suspension occurred. If the request for reinstatement from suspension for nonpayment of the late charge is received after June 30 of the fiscal year in which the suspension for the late charge occurs, the member shall be reinstated by the Chief Executive Officer in accordance with Section 3(a) above. The date of receipt shall be determined by the actual date of receipt of a payment by mail or a postmark on or before the due date, a delivery service or commercial carrier "ship date," the date on a check issued by an online banking service, the date that the member pays at the District of Columbia Bar's headquarters during normal business hours, the date of an online dues payment, the date on which the member submits valid credit card information via fax transmission to the Member Service Center of the Bar, or by other means as specified by the Board of Governors. [Amended April 14, 2015]
Section 4. Reinstatement of Inactive (Retired) or Resigned Member
a. Any attorney who has assumed retired inactive membership status under Section 1 (a) (3) of this Article or has voluntarily resigned his/her membership in the Bar under Section 7 of Rule II shall be reinstated by the Chief Executive Officer to active, inactive, or judicial membership upon (i) submission of a request, in writing or through such electronic means as the District of Columbia Bar may provide on its website, for reinstatement; (ii) payment of applicable current year dues plus a reinstatement fee of $100 (except that the reinstatement fee is waived for the period July 1, 1999, to December 31, 1999); (iii) submission of a statement that the member has not been suspended for cause or disbarred by any disciplinary authority and that there are no complaints or charges against the member pending before any disciplinary authority; and (iv) if the attorney is reinstating to active status, submission of certification of completion of the Course on the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct and District of Columbia Practice (Mandatory Course), if such attorney was admitted after July 1, 1994, and has not yet completed the Course or if such attorney has not been an active member of the Bar for five (5) years or more. In all other instances, reinstatement of a member to active, inactive, or judicial membership may be made by the Board of Governors in its discretion and upon such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate. [Amended September15, 2020]
b. Reinstatement of an attorney to D.C. Bar active membership shall not become effective until all of the conditions of this Section have been met.
Section 5. Admission after Non-Registration
Any member of the Bar of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals who failed to register with the District of Columbia Bar in accordance with Rule II, Section 2, of the Rules of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Governing the Bar of the District of Columbia may, upon (i) submission of a signed statement that he/she was unaware of the registration requirements which also meets the requirements of Section 3 of this Article; and (ii) submission of certification of completion of the Course on the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct and District of Columbia Practice, be registered as a member in good standing upon payment of current year dues plus a registration fee of $250.00. Such registration shall be effective retroactively, as of the date of such original eligibility.
Section 6. Retroactive Reinstatement
If the Board of Governors deems it appropriate, it may reinstate an attorney to membership under Sections 3 and 4 above retroactively, as of the date of suspension, assumption of inactive membership status, or voluntary resignation, as the case may be. An appropriate case for purposes of the foregoing sentence shall be only one in which it is apparent that the suspension, assumption of inactive status, or resignation resulted from error or omission on the part of the Bar.
Section 7. Special Legal Consultants
Any person licensed by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals as a Special Consultant shall be treated for purposes of this Article III as an active member and shall be required to pay the same membership dues as an active member.
Section 8. Form of Notice; Deadlines
All notices hereunder sent to a member shall be sent in writing by first class mail. If a notice is postmarked later than the date of the notice, the date of the postmark shall control. The deadline for a date hereunder that may fall in that given year on a weekend or District of Columbia holiday shall be the next regular business day.[2] On March 9. 2010, the Board of Governors approved the change in title of the Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer.
