State Bar of Georgia Lawyers Serving the Public and the Justice System

Rule 1-202. Classes of Members

Membership in the State Bar of Georgia shall consist of five classes: active, foreign law consultant, emeritus, disabled and inactive. The bylaws shall make provision for the registration of each active member and the location of his or her principal office for the practice of law, the registration of each foreign law consultant and the location of his or her principal office, and the registration of emeritus and inactive members and their mailing addresses.

1. Inactive Members. All lawyers who are neither engaged in the practice of law nor holding themselves out as practicing attorneys nor occupying any public or private position in which they may be called upon to give legal advice or counsel or to examine the law or to pass upon the legal effect of any act, document, or law may be inactive members at their election. Members who are in military service may be inactive if they so elect.
2. Active Members. Active members shall be all other lawyers including judges but excluding foreign law consultants. Only active members of the State Bar of Georgia in good standing may vote or hold office in the State Bar of Georgia.
3. Foreign Law Consultants. Foreign Law Consultants shall be those persons, who are licensed under the Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law as adopted by the Supreme Court of Georgia.
4. Emeritus Members. Any member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia who shall have attained the age of 70 years and who shall have been admitted to the practice of law for at least 25 years, five years of which must be as a member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia, may retire from the State Bar upon petition to and approval by the Membership Department. Such a retired member shall hold emeritus status. An emeritus member of the State Bar shall not be required to pay dues or annual fees. An emeritus member of the State Bar shall not be privileged to practice law except that an emeritus member may handle pro bono cases referred by either an organized pro bono program recognized by the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar or a non-profit corporation that delivers legal services to the poor. An emeritus member may be reinstated to active or inactive membership upon application to the Membership Department and payment of non-prorated dues for the year in which the emeritus members returns to active or inactive service.
5. Disabled Members. Any member of the State Bar of Georgia who is found to be permanently disabled by the Social Security Administration or is in the process of applying to the Social Security Administration for such status may retire from the State Bar of Georgia upon petition to and approval by the Executive Committee. Such disabled member shall hold disabled status and shall annually confirm in writing to the Membership Department this disabled status. A disabled member of the State Bar of Georgia holding disabled status under this paragraph shall not be privileged to practice law nor be required to pay dues or annual fees. A disabled member may be reinstated to active membership upon application to the State Bar of Georgia.

 

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