Rule 11 of the Maryland Rules Governing Admission to the Bar provides that before admission to the Bar, an applicant shall complete a program on legal professionalism. The Court of Appeals through the Maryland Professionalism Center administers the Professionalism Course for New Admittees.

The Course is conducted twice each year, in May and in late November or early December, prior to the students being sworn in to the Maryland Bar. The students attend the one day course consisting of two parts, a morning session and an afternoon session, taught by Judges, Masters of Family Relations and attorneys from various practice areas. During the morning session, the students are together for a plenary session to be welcomed by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals and discuss topics that arise early in the legal practice such as communications with client, appropriate advocacy, social networking issues, and handling of client funds. The discussion also addresses professional reputation, including complaint avoidance and reporting misconduct; trust accounts; business development; the lawyer’s relationship to the client emphasizing independence and loyalty, conflict avoidance, competence, maintaining clients, terminating employment, and confidences; and the lawyer’s responsibility to the legal system and the community. In the afternoon, the students attend a workshop in one of the following areas: Business Transactions, General Practice, Criminal Litigation, Civil Litigation, or Government/Non-Profit. The students select the course they will attend in the afternoon when they register to take the course. The course instructors, who present in smaller groups, and are “vetted” facilitators work as a team months prior to the course to develop the curriculum and to determine the presentation style they will use to teach in the designated practice area. At the end of the morning session and after the after sessions are complete, the students complete an evaluation of the course. The evaluations produce both empirical data and written comments to evaluate the course.

All forms and any documents that accompany the form(s) must be returned to Monise Brown.  Please send the form(s) and accompanying documentation to: Monise A. Brown, Esq., Executive Director, Maryland Professionalism Center, Inc., 2011-D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, Maryland 21401; or by e-mail to Professionalismcourse@mdcourts.gov; or by faxing to Monise A. Brown at 410-260-3560. For additional information call: 410-260-3762.
 

REQUEST FOR DEFERRAL Unavailable
A Request for Deferral, whereby you take the course in December of 2013, but are admitted in June of 2013, may only be filed with the Court of Appeals in accordance with Rule 11 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar and only by using the Request for Deferral form.

REQUEST FOR WAIVER Unavailable
Attorneys admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Virginia, and Colorado jurisdictions, who have taken a professionalism course for the newly admitted, within the last five years (this does not include courses taken in law school or the MPRE) may apply for a Waiver of the course by completing the Request for Waiver form. Filing for a waiver does not automatically excuse you from the course.

ADA AIDS/SERVICES
If you require specific aids or services during the Course, you must complete the ADA Aids/Services form (MS Word) and mail it to the Maryland Professionalism Center at 2011 D Commerce Park Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401.

PROFESSIONALISM COURSE MANUAL (passcode required)
The Professionalism Course Manual requires a passcode to open. The Manual is in read-only format: it cannot be edited, printed or copied.