OT: Boneyard Lawyers

[HuskyHawk]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

 

[CTBballfan243]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

Based on your post, it seems you spend a lot of time in bars all over the U.S. and have run up quite the tab.

 

[OldBosd]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

Live it up a little and get disbarred

 

[businesslawyer]

Based on your post, it seems you spend a lot of time in bars all over the U.S. and have run up quite the tab.

Brilliant!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Live it up a little and get disbarred

It seems that becoming an addict or engaging in crimes involving moral turpitude would be the tickets out.

 

[OldBosd]

It seems that becoming an addict or engaging in crimes involving moral turpitude would be the tickets out.

I can help with that. Let me know.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

Have you tried calling? No idea if it'll work but when I had some issues switching my TX license to inactive a few years ago I was able to get someone at the TX state bar on the phone who talked me through it.

 

[Chuck]

I have not tried to resign or retire so I'm not really answering your question. But I'm a lawyer, so I'm going to give an answer anyway!

It really depends on your situation, right? You didn't mention why you are a member in any of the states. Do you need to be a member of the bar in those states, or are you just doing in case you want to practice law there in the future?

If it's more of a "just in case" then do a cost-benefit analysis. That will require a determination of the cost. That cost can be how much it will cost you to keep paying the fees, plus the pain of CLE (NJ requires 50% of credits live!), but also what it would take to get your good standing status back if you go "inactive" or "retired." I think in some states you have to catch-up to all of your CLE and fees as if you had been registered if you want to reactivate.

Finally, assuming you are my age or older (I'm late 40s) there have been a ton of changes in bar membership over that past few years. There are a lot more states that let you waive in now. California is still not one of them, of course. That may impact your decision on which to give up and which to keep.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Have you tried calling? No idea if it'll work but when I had some issues switching my TX license to inactive a few years ago I was able to get someone at the TX state bar on the phone who talked me through it.

I haven’t tried that. I am inactive, but I’m just tired of paying in to three states where I haven’t practiced in 20 years. And in the case of Missouri, supposedly need to pay for another 20 years. It just seems ridiculous that there isn’t an “I quit” option. I got the Missouri bill today, increased 100%, hence my rant.

@Chuck I was in KC after L school, so KS and MO. Moved to CA a few years later, took CA. Moved to MA in late 1999. Admitted here (waived in). I don’t expect to practice in those prior states again. I did work for a CA company until 2003, but not since. Inactive does get rid of the CLE obligations thankfully. The CA CLE requirements were a bitch.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I haven’t tried that. I am inactive, but I’m just tired of paying in to three states where I haven’t practiced in 20 years. And in the case of Missouri, supposedly need to pay for another 20 years. It just seems ridiculous that there isn’t an “I quit” option. I got the Missouri bill today, increased 100%, hence my rant.

How often do your admissions become an issue? (i.e. do you ever have to make any sort of representation as to your good standing generally? If you're in house and not applying for pro hac vice admissions regularly, I suppose you could just stop paying in a state like MO if you never intend to practice there again. Eventually I would assume they'll suspend you but you'll be off the hook for the fees. Not the most responsible option but I find it astounding that you're being forced to pay until you're 70.)

 

[Hoophound]

As a person with professional licenses, I would tell you to just pay it and be happy. You are paying peanuts despite having a very lucrative line of work available to you in multiple states. If the licenses aren’t worth $283 to you, let them go. Personally, I can’t fathom why you’d do that. Your line of work is far too high paying to be concerned with that. Consider it a cost of being professionally flexible. If for some reason Massachusetts becomes uninhabitable for you, you have options.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I have two "inactive" medical licenses - PA and NJ - and haven't paid a dime since they went inactive.

Frickin' attorneys.

 

[Jaker]

Bar dues??

 

[UCTitleTown]

Call the law firm of Ben, Dover and Takeit. They'll help you for a non-refundable retainer.

 

[gtcam]

I'm not an attorney but play one at home - a lot

 

[NJHusky]

I haven’t tried that. I am inactive, but I’m just tired of paying in to three states where I haven’t practiced in 20 years. And in the case of Missouri, supposedly need to pay for another 20 years. It just seems ridiculous that there isn’t an “I quit” option. I got the Missouri bill today, increased 100%, hence my rant.

@Chuck I was in KC after L school, so KS and MO. Moved to CA a few years later, took CA. Moved to MA in late 1999. Admitted here (waived in). I don’t expect to practice in those prior states again. I did work for a CA company until 2003, but not since. Inactive does get rid of the CLE obligations thankfully. The CA CLE requirements were a bitch.

My guess is if u don’t pay u will get an administrative suspension. No idea if that would matter to Ma. my buddy had that issue (Suspended for non payment) in PA and had to take a bunch of cle and get a few letters of of good charcter to reactivate 6 years later when Work required a PA admission. Oh. And he had to pay up for the suspended years tooo. Of course. Lol

 

[NJHusky]

I'm not an attorney but play one at home - a lot

And on the yard.

 

[cohenzone]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

I did what the CT Bar calls a conditional retirement that allows me to avoid paying all state and Bar imposed annual professional costs and to “un-retire” on a simple filing. The conditional status allows the retiree to handle matters related to their own family and unpaid pro bono type services. So in effect the license is retained on a limited basis.

 

[ARIDE]

Wouldn't normally post this during the season, but there isn't much of a season happening. I know there are lots of lawyers here, seemingly a disproportionate number. Plus a law student or two.

As I get older, I'm beginning to be annoyed by bar dues. I can bill my Mass bar dues to the company, but I have three inactive fees to pay as well. California is exorbitant at $183.40 and Missouri just doubled the inactive fee to $100. Kansas is a relative bargain at $65. California will let me "resign" and presumably not pay the fee (although they don't make that clear). They otherwise stop billing at the age of 70. Missouri has no way to resign or relinquish your license and charges you until you are 75! Neither has a "retired" status. Kansas lets me elect "Retired" status at age of 66. They explicitly say there is no fee. So I can look forward to paying most these fees while on Social Security. Wonderful. Massachusetts does have a retired status and doesn't say when it starts or whether you stop paying.

Have any of you tried to "resign" or "retire"? I really don't know what the impact of "resigning" in California would be while still being active in Massachusetts. I am wary of taking that step at this time. On the other hand, I have much better uses for the $283 I currently have due. I'd gladly donate it rather than give it to these extortionists. It certainly could become a couple of very nice bottles of Scotch.

If not making money in a state get out!

 

[the Q]

The bar dues are a complete scam. It’s ridiculous to have them in this and age. Same with the bar exam in general.

Don’t even get me stated on the ABA who doesn’t think that their primary goal should be support attorneys and further the practice of law.

 

[mussels]

It seems that becoming an addict or engaging in crimes involving moral turpitude would be the tickets out.

I think if you let them know you post on the boneyard, they’ll give you the turpitude thing no questions asked. Problem solved.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

As a person with professional licenses, I would tell you to just pay it and be happy. You are paying peanuts despite having a very lucrative line of work available to you in multiple states. If the licenses aren’t worth $283 to you, let them go. Personally, I can’t fathom why you’d do that. Your line of work is far too high paying to be concerned with that. Consider it a cost of being professionally flexible. If for some reason Massachusetts becomes uninhabitable for you, you have options.

And I believe they’re tax deductible if one is still practicing

 

[UCDaveD]

I have not tried to resign or retire so I'm not really answering your question. But I'm a lawyer, so I'm going to give an answer anyway!

It really depends on your situation, right? You didn't mention why you are a member in any of the states. Do you need to be a member of the bar in those states, or are you just doing in case you want to practice law there in the future?

If it's more of a "just in case" then do a cost-benefit analysis. That will require a determination of the cost. That cost can be how much it will cost you to keep paying the fees, plus the pain of CLE (NJ requires 50% of credits live!), but also what it would take to get your good standing status back if you go "inactive" or "retired." I think in some states you have to catch-up to all of your CLE and fees as if you had been registered if you want to reactivate.

Finally, assuming you are my age or older (I'm late 40s) there have been a ton of changes in bar membership over that past few years. There are a lot more states that let you waive in now. California is still not one of them, of course. That may impact your decision on which to give up and which to keep.

Charles ‘Chuck’ McGill over here.

 

[Fishy]

Send dick picks in with your checks.

It may take a few years, but eventually, they will stop cashing them.

 

[Mr. French]

I actually "retired" in NY even though I'm young, I just switched professions. I am not super clear on the details as far as getting back in, as I understand it you would just need to re-up and prove that you have not been practicing while retired. But I have no clue about other states.