The Attorney Services Division oversees attorney licensure in the state of Nebraska.  This division of the Court provides online services that allow candidates for admission to the Bar to apply for licenses to practice law.  Once an attorney is licensed, the online services allow the attorney to annually renew his or her license, file Mandatory Continuing Legal Education reports and comply with specialized education requirements for working in the courts. The Attorney Services Division houses the Office of Counsel for Discipline which investigates complaints against attorneys and the Commission on Unauthorized Practice of Law which protects the public against persons practicing law without a license.

MCLE Website

Admission

Admission to the practice of law within the State of Nebraska is governed by the Nebraska State Bar Commission. The Bar Commission conducts testing and reviews all applications for admission for those who wish to practice law within Nebraska. The online application for admission to the practice of law in Nebraska may be accessed at this website.

Annual Licensure

Attorney license renewals are conducted through the online portal on the Attorney Services Division website. Attorneys are able to maintain their personal information, trust account and malpractice insurance coverage information and print an annual membership or license card as part of the annual license renewal or as needed.   Durning 2018, our online payment processor will institute new security requirements that may potentially impact attorney-users on computers or devices running older operating systems and browsers.  Attorneys running older systems such as Windows XP or Internet Explorer version 8 should call the help desk for assistance if they are unable to connect to the payment system.  The Court's system wil be updated on March 29, 2018 at 3 pm Central making the system unreachable for a short time. The online portal may be unavailable for use on Sundays from 8 am until 11 am Central for system maintainence. 

In House Counsel Registration Requirements

New Supreme Court rules  regarding the registration requirement of attorneys licensed in other states and practicing while physically in Nebraska went into effect January 1, 2020. Noncompliance with the new registration requirements will result in an attorney being unable to motion into the Nebraska bar at a later date and subjects the attorney to disciplinary jurisdiction in the state.

The rule makes clear that there are no exceptions to the duty of an attorney admitted in another jurisdiction and employed as counsel in any capacity to either register with the Supreme Court or seek admission to the active practice of law.  It will be considered the unauthorized practice of law in Nebraska for an attorney to work for a business without being licensed to practice in the state of Nebraska.   Nebraska has done away with unauthorized practice of law exceptions for attorneys who are working in certain industries.

The Clerk of the Supreme Court will no longer accept registrations of in house counsel; renewals and registration is done by the Supreme Court Attorney Services Division.  An on-line system for registration and renewals is in place

The rules can be found at https://supremecourt.nebraska.gov/supreme-court-rules/chapter-3-attorneys-practice-law/article-12-registration-house-counsel

To register and to renew registration as in house counsel, go to https://mcle.wcc.ne.gov/ext/ and request user credentials by accessing the link on the lower left.

MCLE Help Desk: 531-510-3641 or email nsc.mcle@nejudicial.gov.

Counsel for Discipline

The conduct of Nebraska lawyers must comport to the standards outlined in the Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Nebraska Supreme Court. The Nebraska Supreme Court has assigned the office of Counsel for Discipline to investigate and prosecute violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Guardian ad Litem Education

The Nebraska Supreme Court adopted Guidelines for Guardians ad Litem for Juveniles in Juvenile Court Proceedings to ensure that the legal and best interests of juveniles in dependency and abuse/neglect proceedings initiated under the Nebraska Juvenile Code are effectively represented by their court-appointed Guardians ad Litem. 

MCLE Commission

The Nebraska Supreme Court created the Nebraska Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Commission to monitor compliance with the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education for Lawyers Rules, approve vendors of continuing legal education and ensure attorney compliance. The online portal may be unavailable for use on Sundays from 8 am until 11 am Central for system maintenance.

Statewide Roster of Attorneys

The Attorney Services Division maintains both a roster of contact information for attorneys licensed to practice law within the State of Nebraska and a map of attorney distribution across the state.  Attorneys must notify the Attorney Services Division of any changes in contact information and update their own information by logging into their ASD/MCLE website. Use the "maintain personal information" website function to make any updates.

Unauthorized Practice of Law

The “practice of law” is the application of legal principles and judgments to specific circumstances to resolve a problem or decide how to proceed under the law. Practicing law requires special skill and knowledge. The Nebraska Supreme Court defines the practice of law in its Rules Governing the Unauthorized Practice of Law.