Rule 7.0 - Admission Procedure(a)Certificate of eligibility. - The Board shall issue a certificate of eligibility, which shall be filed, along with a character report, with the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals, for every applicant who has complied with the requirements of the applicable rules and who has paid the statutory fee. (b)General procedure. - An applicant who is eligible for admission may be admitted to the practice of law in the State of West Virginia by appearing before the Supreme Court of Appeals within twelve months of issuance of the certificate of eligibility, by taking the oath hereinafter set forth, and by signing the roll of attorneys maintained by the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals. No applicant shall be admitted without taking the oath administered by the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals and by signing the roll of attorneys in the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals. An affirmation may be given in lieu of an oath. The oath is administered and the roll is signed at a ceremony held in the courtroom of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia approximately one month after issuance of the certificate of eligibility. Failure to be sworn within twelve months of issuance of the certificate of eligibility causes the right to admission to lapse. The date of oath is the actual admission date of new attorneys. (c)Oath of attorney. - Upon being admitted to the practice of law in the State of West Virginia, each applicant shall take and subscribe to the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear or affirm that: I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of West Virginia; that I will honestly demean myself in the practice of law; that I will conduct myself with integrity, dignity and civility and show respect toward judges, court staff, clients, fellow professionals and all other persons; and, to the best of my ability, execute my office of attorney-at-law; so help me God."
(d)Certificate of admission. - Each applicant admitted may receive a certificate of admission suitable for framing. Such certificate shall be issued, upon payment of a fee as set forth in the fee schedule, in the name of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia and shall be signed by the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals. W.V. R. Admis. Prac. Law. 7.0
As amended by order entered 7/25/2001, effective immediately; by order entered November 20, 2012, effective 1/1/2013. Notes: Standard of review; Ultimate discretion to admit lies with the Court. The Supreme Court reviews de novo the adjudicatory record made before the board of law examiners with regard to questions of law, questions of application of the law to the facts, and questions of whether an applicant should or should not be admitted to the practice of law. In re Dortch, 199 W.Va. 571, 486 S.E.2d 311 (1997). Even though the board of law examiners may issue a certificate of eligibility to an applicant and file it along with a character report, the Supreme Court is not required to admit that applicant; amended by order entered May 17, 2021, effective 6/16/2021; amended by order entered July 15, 2021, effective 7/15/2021.