Thinking of meeting the AOR exam eligibility criteria to become an Advocate-on-Record (AOR) in the Supreme Court? This detailed guide explains every eligibility requirement under Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, including qualifications, four years of continuous practice, mandatory AOR training, attempt limits, and exemption categories, so you can confidently plan your journey to AOR status.

So you’re ready to take on the Supreme Court of India? That’s ambitious and honestly, pretty exciting. But here’s the thing: before you even think about cracking those four grueling exam papers, there’s a maze of eligibility requirements you need to navigate first.

And trust me, this is where most aspiring AORs stumble.

The eligibility framework isn’t just a simple checklist you tick off over coffee. It’s a carefully designed system involving years of practice, mandatory training, specific qualifications, and yes, even restrictions that could disqualify you entirely. Miss one detail, miscalculate your practice period by even a few days, or overlook a documentation requirement, and you could lose an entire year waiting for the next exam cycle.

The good news? You’re in the right place.

This guide walks you through every single eligibility requirement under Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013. You’ll learn exactly when you qualify, what documents you need, how to calculate your practice experience correctly, and which exemptions or restrictions might apply to your specific situation.

By the time you’re done reading, you’ll know precisely where you stand and, more importantly, what your next move should be.

Let’s dive in.

What is AOR Exam Eligibility?

AOR Exam Eligibility Framework Under Order IV of Supreme Court Rules, 2013

The AOR exam eligibility framework is governed by Order IV of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, which lays down comprehensive requirements for advocates seeking to practice before the Supreme Court. 

This framework establishes a multi-tiered qualification system that combines educational credentials, practical experience, specialized training, and examination success. 

The Supreme Court has designed these requirements to maintain the highest standards of advocacy at the apex court level.

The eligibility criteria serve a dual purpose: they ensure that only thoroughly prepared advocates represent clients in the Supreme Court, while also maintaining the professional integrity of the Supreme Court Bar. 

Under Order IV Rule 5 of the Supreme Court Rules, 2013, the Supreme Court mandates specific educational qualifications, a minimum period of practice, mandatory training under a senior AOR, and successful completion of the AOR examination. These requirements work together to create a rigorous qualification process that typically takes 5-6 years from the start of your legal career to achieve.

Core AOR Exam Eligibility Requirements

What are the Educational Qualifications Required for AOR Exam?

LLB Degree from BCI BCI-approved institution

The foundational educational requirement for AOR exam eligibility is a law degree from an institution recognized by the Bar Council of India. You must possess either a three-year LLB degree after graduation or a five-year integrated law degree (BA LLB/BBA LLB/BCom LLB). 

Your degree must be from a university recognized under the University Grants Commission or from a deemed university approved by the UGC. 

The Supreme Court Registry verifies the authenticity of your law degree through your enrollment certificate during the application review process.

All India Bar Examination (AIBE) Requirement

Beyond your law degree, you must have cleared the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) conducted by the Bar Council of India. 

The AIBE is a mandatory qualifying examination for all advocates in India, testing your knowledge of core legal subjects and professional ethics. 

You cannot appear for the AOR examination without first clearing the AIBE, as it’s a prerequisite for maintaining your enrollment with any State Bar Council. Your AIBE clearance certificate must be submitted along with your AOR exam application as proof of this qualification.

Pre-2010 LLB Graduate Exemptions

Since 2010, all advocates must clear the All India Bar Examination (AIBE) conducted by the Bar Council of India before they can practice law in India. If you completed your LLB degree before 2010, you’re exempt from the AIBE requirement for AOR exam eligibility.

The AIBE itself is relatively straightforward compared to the AOR examination, but it’s a necessary stepping stone in your journey.

What is the Practice Experience Requirement for the AOR Exam?

4 Years of Continuous Practice as an Advocate

The most critical eligibility requirement is that you must have completed a minimum of four years of continuous practice as an enrolled advocate before you can commence your one-year training under a senior AOR. 

This 4 year period must be as a practicing advocate appearing before courts and tribunals in India; purely academic or non-litigation work doesn’t count. 

The practice must be continuous without any breaks or suspensions in your enrollment. The Supreme Court Registry strictly verifies this requirement through your State Bar Council’s continuity certificate before accepting your application.

Bar Council Enrollment as the Starting Point

Your enrollment date with any State Bar Council under the Advocates Act, 1961, is the official starting point for calculating your 4 year practice experience. 

The date mentioned on your enrollment certificate issued by your State Bar Council determines when your practice period begins. 

It doesn’t matter which State Bar Council you’re enrolled with; enrollment with any State Bar Council in India counts toward AOR eligibility. What matters is that your name has been continuously borne on the rolls of a State Bar Council for the required period without any disciplinary suspensions or breaks.

What Training is Mandatory for AOR Exam Eligibility?

One Year Training Under Senior AOR (10+ Years Standing)

After completing your 4 years of practice, you must undergo one year of mandatory training under an Advocate on Record who has at least ten years of standing as an AOR. 

This training is designed to provide you with practical exposure to Supreme Court procedures, filing processes, drafting standards, and case management specific to apex court practice. 

The senior AOR under whom you train must be actively practicing and must certify that they have supervised your training throughout the one year. 

You cannot take the AOR examination without first completing this training and obtaining a completion certificate from your supervising senior AOR.

Training Must Be Completed Before Exam Commencement

The Supreme Court Rules, 2013, mandate that your one year training must be completed by the time the AOR examination commences. 

You can start your application process if your training will be completed before the exam dates, but you must submit your training completion certificate before appearing for the examination. 

The training period is calculated as one continuous year from the date mentioned in your commencement certificate issued by the senior AOR. 

If you haven’t completed your training by the exam commencement date, your application will not be accepted, and you’ll need to wait for the next year’s examination cycle.

Calculating Practice Experience for AOR Exam Eligibility

How to Calculate 4 Years of Practice from Enrollment Date

What Does “Continuous Practice” Mean?

“Continuous practice” under the AOR eligibility framework means that you have been actively enrolled as an advocate with a State Bar Council without any breaks, suspensions, or removal from the rolls during the 4 year period. 

Continuous practice doesn’t mean you need to appear in court every single day, but it does require that your enrollment remains active and you’re available for legal practice throughout this period. What matters is uninterrupted enrollment status, not the volume of cases you handle.

When Does the 4 Year Practice Period Complete?

Your 4 year practice period completes exactly four years from the date of your enrollment with the State Bar Council, as mentioned on your enrollment certificate. 

For example, if you were enrolled on June 15, 2020, your 4 year practice period completes on June 14, 2024. 

You can commence your one year training under a senior AOR only after completing these 4 years of practice. The Supreme Court calculates this period strictly from your enrollment date, and even being short by a few days can make you ineligible for that year’s examination cycle.

Which Legal Work Counts Toward Practice Experience for AOR Exam Eligibility?

Private Practice in Courts and Tribunals

Private practice involving appearances before trial courts, district courts, High Courts, and various tribunals in India fully counts toward your 4 year practice experience requirement. 

This is the most straightforward category of qualifying practice. Whether you’re handling civil matters, criminal cases, writ petitions, or appearing before specialized tribunals like NCLT, CAT, or DRT, all of this litigation work qualifies as practice experience.

The key requirement is that you must be appearing as an enrolled advocate on record, either independently or as a junior to senior advocates. 

Your appearances should be reflected in court records, case files, and vakalatnamas where your enrollment number is mentioned. 

Government Standing Counsel and Legal Service

If you serve as government standing counsel, additional public prosecutor, or in any legal capacity for government departments where you regularly appear in courts, this experience fully counts toward your 4 year practice requirement. 

Government legal service is recognized as valid practice experience because you’re performing the core function of an advocate, representing clients (in this case, government entities) before judicial forums. Your appointment order as government counsel and your appearances in court establish this qualification.

However, you must ensure that your State Bar Council enrollment remains active throughout your government service period. 

What Practice Experience Does NOT Count for AOR Exam Eligibility?

Purely Advisory or Non-Litigation Legal Work

Legal work that doesn’t involve court appearances or representation before judicial forums does not qualify as practice experience for AOR eligibility. 

This includes roles such as legal researchers, law professors, legal journalists, corporate compliance officers (without litigation duties), contract drafters, or legal advisors who provide opinions but never appear in court. 

The Supreme Court Rules specifically require practice as an advocate, which means active representation before courts and tribunals.

Breaks or Suspensions in Practice

Any period during which your enrollment with a State Bar Council was suspended due to disciplinary proceedings, or when you voluntarily surrendered your enrollment, does not count toward your practice experience. 

The continuity of your practice is crucial, if there’s any break in your enrollment status, that period is excluded from the 4 year calculation.

Special AOR Exam Eligibility Categories and Exemptions

Who is Exempt from Taking the AOR Examination?

Attorneys 

Attorneys practicing under the Supreme Court Rules are exempt from the AOR examination requirement. 

If you qualified as an attorney before the Advocates Act, 1961 came into force and your name is on the attorney rolls, you can directly register as an AOR without taking the examination. However, this exemption applies to a very small number of practitioners, as new attorney registrations have not been accepted for decades.

If you want to learn more about the Advocates Act, 1961, you can refer to this article. 

Solicitors 

Solicitors on the rolls of the Bombay Incorporated Law Society who have been enrolled with a State Bar Council for at least seven years are exempt from the AOR examination. 

This special provision under Order IV Rule 5 recognizes the specialized training and experience that solicitors undergo.

If you qualify under this category, you can apply directly for AOR registration without taking the examination, but you must provide documentary proof of your solicitor status and your continuous enrollment for the required seven year period.

Chief Justice’s Exemptions for Special Cases

The Chief Justice of India has discretionary power to grant exemptions from certain AOR eligibility requirements in special circumstances:

• from the requirement of the mandatory training in the case of an advocate, whose name is borne on the roll of any State Bar Council for a period of not less than ten years. 
• from the requirement of four years of practice and from mandatory training in the case of an advocate having special knowledge or experience in law.

Who cannot apply for the AOR Exam?

What Criminal Convictions Bar AOR Eligibility?

Moral Turpitude Conviction Disqualification

If you’ve been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude, such as fraud, bribery, forgery, perjury, or any crime that reflects dishonesty or depravity, you are disqualified from appearing for the AOR examination. 

Order IV Rule 6 of the Supreme Court Rules specifically bars advocates with such convictions from AOR eligibility. This disqualification exists because the Supreme Court maintains the highest standards of professional integrity, and a conviction for moral turpitude raises serious questions about an advocate’s fitness to practice before the apex court.

 2 Year Ineligibility After Sentence Completion

The ineligibility due to moral turpitude conviction continues for a period of two years after you have completed your sentence or paid the fine imposed by the court. 

This means even after serving your punishment, you must wait an additional two years before you can apply for the AOR examination. The two year period is calculated from the date you complete your sentence if imprisonment was imposed, or from the date you pay the fine if only a fine was levied. Only after this complete waiting period can you apply for AOR exam eligibility, provided all other requirements are met.

Exceptions for Probation and Suspended Sentences

The moral turpitude disqualification does not apply if you were released on probation of good conduct or after due admonition under the provisions of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958 or under Section 360 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and no penalty was imposed thereafter. 

Additionally, if your conviction has been stayed or suspended by a higher court, the ineligibility does not apply during the pendency of the stay. However, if the stay is ultimately vacated and the conviction is upheld, the ineligibility provision will then apply from the date of the final order.

How Do Previous Attempts Affect AOR Exam Eligibility?

Failed All Papers Rule (Regulation 11(iii))

Under Regulation 11(iii) of the Regulations regarding Advocates-on-Record Examination, if you fail in all four papers of the examination in any attempt, you are not permitted to appear in the immediately next examination. This means you must skip one complete examination cycle before you can reappear. 

The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that candidates who fail comprehensively take adequate time to prepare more thoroughly before attempting again.

It’s crucial to understand that if you appear in only some papers and fail those papers, you are treated as having failed in all papers, including the ones you didn’t appear in. 

This means that strategic partial appearance doesn’t help; if you skip papers and fail the ones you attempt, you’re still barred from the next examination. This regulation significantly impacts your attempt strategy and emphasizes the importance of being fully prepared before appearing for any paper.

5 Attempt Maximum Limit (Regulation 11(iv))

The Supreme Court limits AOR exam candidates to a maximum of five attempts at the examination. 

Regulation 11(iv) clearly states that once you have exhausted all five attempts, you cannot appear for the AOR examination again. This lifetime limit is strictly enforced and exists to maintain the quality standards of Supreme Court advocacy by ensuring that only candidates who can qualify within a reasonable number of attempts become AORs.

How is Each Attempt Counted for the AOR Exam?

For the purpose of calculating your five attempt limit, appearance in even a single paper of the examination is counted as one complete attempt. 

This means if you appear in only the Practice and Procedure paper and skip the other three papers, that still counts as one of your five attempts. The regulation explicitly states that appearing “even in any one of the papers in an examination shall be deemed to be a chance.”

This counting mechanism makes it crucial to appear for all four papers in each attempt rather than taking a piecemeal approach.

Some candidates might think they can preserve attempts by appearing in only the papers they’re prepared for, but this strategy backfires under the regulations; you consume an attempt whether you write one paper or all four papers. Therefore, you should only register for the examination when you’re ready to attempt all papers seriously.

Additionally, if you’re allotted a roll number but absent yourself from all papers without valid reason, this can result in disciplinary action under Regulation 5(b), and they shall not be permitted to sit in any subsequent examination except for good reason and with the express permission of the Board of Examiners. 

Are There Other Restrictions on AOR Exam Eligibility?

Senior Advocate Designation Bar

If you have already been designated as a Senior Advocate by any High Court or the Supreme Court, you are not eligible to take the AOR examination. 

The Senior Advocate designation is an honor conferred on distinguished advocates based on their expertise and contributions to the legal profession, and it comes with certain restrictions. 

Senior Advocates cannot appear in cases without an AOR, and they cannot themselves become AORs. This restriction exists because the roles of Senior Advocate and AOR are distinct within the Supreme Court practice structure. Senior Advocates focus on arguing matters while AORs handle procedural and filing responsibilities.

What Documents Are Required to Become Eligible for AOR Examination?

Application Form and Required Documents

The AOR examination application process begins with obtaining the official application form from the Supreme Court Registry. You can download this form from the Supreme Court’s official website or collect a physical copy from the AOR Examination Cell during working hours. The application form must be filled out completely and accurately, with no fields left blank unless genuinely not applicable.

Along with the completed application form, you must submit several critical documents. First, you need to attach one recent passport-size photograph at the designated space on the application form. Second, a self-attested copy of your enrollment certificate issued by your State Bar Council must be annexed to prove your basic qualification as an advocate. Third, and most importantly, you must provide the training completion certificate from your senior AOR confirming that you’ve completed the mandatory one-year training.

If you’ve appeared for the AOR examination before, you must declare your previous attempt details, including roll numbers and years of examination. This information helps the Registry verify your attempt count against the five attempt maximum limit and check whether you’re barred from appearing due to the “failed all papers” rule. Concealing information about previous attempts or providing false information can lead to rejection of your application and potential disciplinary action.

Application Fees and Payment Methods

The prescribed examination fee for the AOR exam is ₹750, which must be paid online after your application form and documents have been verified by the Supreme Court Registry. The fee payment process is time-sensitive and follows a specific sequence. First, you submit your scanned application form and documents via email to the AOR Examination Cell. The Registry then reviews your submission for completeness and eligibility.

If your application is found to be in order, you’ll receive a confirmatory email from the Registry. Only after receiving this email are you authorized to pay the examination fee. You must make the payment within two days of receiving the confirmatory email – if you miss this 48-hour window, your application will be rejected and you’ll need to restart the entire process. The payment must be made through online transfer to the Supreme Court’s designated account, which details are provided in the official examination notification. Here is the official notification for the June 2025 exam for your reference.

When making the payment, it’s mandatory to mention your full name in the remarks column of the online payment module. This helps the Registry match your payment to your application. After successful payment, you must download or print the payment receipt, as you’ll need to submit this receipt along with the hard copy of your application form and other documents to the AOR Examination Cell. Keep a photocopy of the payment receipt for your personal records as well.

Submission Deadlines and Processing Timeline

The Supreme Court conducts the AOR examination once annually, typically in May-June, with the application window opening around March-April. The exact dates are announced through an official notification published on the Supreme Court’s website. The application submission deadline is strictly enforced – applications received even one day after the deadline are not entertained under any circumstances.

The submission process involves both electronic and physical components. First, you email the scanned copies of your completed application form, photograph, enrollment certificate, and training completion certificate to [email protected] before the deadline. This email submission serves as your provisional application. After you receive verification and pay the fee, you must send hard copies of all documents through post or courier to the AOR Examination Cell, Room No. 307, 3rd Floor, B-Block, Administrative Buildings Complex, Supreme Court of India, New Delhi-110001

After submission, the Registry typically takes 2-3 weeks to verify all applications and allot roll numbers to eligible candidates. You’ll receive your admission card or hall ticket approximately 2-3 weeks before the examination date via email. The complete timeline from application opening to examination is usually about 2-3 months, so planning your training completion and application preparation well in advance is crucial to avoid missing deadlines.

Post Qualification Requirements and Ongoing Eligibility

Registration and Enrollment Procedure After Passing the Examination

Once you successfully pass all four papers of the AOR examination with the required marks (50% in each paper and 60% aggregate), you become eligible for registration as an Advocate-on-Record with the Supreme Court. However, passing the exam is not the final step – you must complete post-qualification formalities to actually practice as an AOR. The Supreme Court Registry will issue you a certificate confirming your success in the examination.

To complete your AOR registration, you need to submit a registration application to the Supreme Court Registry along with a registration fee of ₹250. A critical requirement at this stage is providing proof of an office address within a 16-kilometer radius of the Supreme Court building. This requirement ensures that AORs maintain a physical presence near the Supreme Court for effective practice and timely filing of documents.

Additionally, you must give an undertaking to the Supreme Court that you will employ a registered clerk within one month of being registered as an AOR. The clerk plays an important role in Supreme Court practice, handling filing procedures, document collection, and liaison with the Registry. After completing all these requirements and formalities, the Supreme Court will register you as an Advocate-on-Record and assign you a unique AOR code, which you’ll use for all your filings and practice before the Supreme Court.

Verifying Your AOR Exam Eligibility

How to Confirm You Meet All Eligibility Criteria

Self-Assessment Checklist for Eligibility Verification

Before investing time and effort into the AOR exam journey, you should systematically verify your eligibility status using a comprehensive checklist. Start by confirming you have a valid LLB degree from a BCI-approved institution and AIBE clearance (unless you’re a pre-2010 graduate). Next, calculate your enrollment date with your State Bar Council and verify that you’ve completed or will complete four continuous years of practice before commencing training. Check whether you’ve identified a senior AOR with 10+ years standing who is willing to supervise your training, and confirm that your training will complete before the examination commences.

Required Documentation to Prove Eligibility

The primary document for proving your eligibility is the continuity certificate issued by your State Bar Council. This certificate confirms that you’ve been continuously enrolled as an advocate without any breaks, suspensions, or disciplinary proceedings during your practice period. You should obtain this certificate from your Bar Council’s office, and it must be recent – typically issued within six months before your AOR application submission.

Beyond the continuity certificate, you need your original enrollment certificate showing your date of enrollment and enrollment number, a certificate of practice if required by your Bar Council, and your AIBE pass certificate (unless exempt). For the training component, you need both the commencement certificate issued when you start training and the completion certificate issued after finishing your one-year training. These training certificates must be on the letterhead of your AOR and must clearly state the training period and confirm that you’ve completed the required training satisfactorily.

Common Eligibility Verification Mistakes

Miscalculating Practice Experience Timeline

One of the most common eligibility mistakes is incorrectly calculating when your 4 year practice period completes. Many advocates count from when they finished law school or when they started attending court rather than from their official enrollment date with the State Bar Council. Your enrollment date, as mentioned on your enrollment certificate, is the only date that matters – this is when your practice experience clock officially starts. If you’re enrolled on June 15, 2020, your four years will complete on June 14, 2024, not June 15, 2024. Being even one day short of the requirement will make you ineligible for that examination cycle.

Incomplete Training Documentation

Another frequent mistake is failing to properly document your training commencement and completion with the Supreme Court Registry. Some advocates complete their training but never formally notify the Registry when they begin, or they obtain a completion certificate without having submitted the required commencement documents. The Supreme Court requires specific documentation at both the start and end of your training period, and missing these formalities can invalidate your training for eligibility purposes. Always ensure you submit the commencement notification within seven days of starting training and obtain proper completion documentation.

Ignoring Previous Attempt History

Candidates sometimes forget to declare their previous AOR exam attempts or are unaware that appearing in even one paper counts as a full attempt. If you’ve attempted the examination before – even if you only appeared in one or two papers – you must declare this in your application. The Registry maintains records of all previous candidates, and failing to disclose attempt history can result in application rejection. Additionally, if you failed all papers in your last attempt, you’re automatically barred from the immediately next examination, so applying for that cycle is futile and wastes one of your precious five attempts.

Conclusion

Meeting the Advocate on Record exam eligibility requirements is your gateway to practicing before the Supreme Court of India. The eligibility framework, combining educational qualifications, four years of continuous practice, mandatory training under a senior AOR, and examination success, ensures that only thoroughly prepared advocates earn the prestigious AOR designation.

The key to navigating this eligibility process successfully is careful planning and meticulous documentation. Calculate your practice timeline accurately from your enrollment date, identify a senior AOR for training well before your fourth year completes, maintain all required certificates from your State Bar Council, and track your attempt count carefully if you’ve appeared for the examination before. Remember that small mistakes in eligibility verification can delay your Supreme Court career by an entire year, given that the exam is conducted only annually.

If you’ve confirmed you meet all eligibility criteria, your next step is to focus on serious preparation for the four challenging papers of the AOR examination. The exam tests not just theoretical knowledge but practical understanding of Supreme Court practice and procedure, drafting skills, professional ethics, and familiarity with landmark judgments. With proper eligibility verification and dedicated preparation, you can join the elite group of fewer than 4,000 Advocates-on-Record practicing before India’s apex court. You can also enjoy the AOR privileges then.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an age limit for the AOR exam eligibility?

No, there is no age limit for AOR exam eligibility. The Supreme Court of India has not specified any minimum or maximum age restriction for appearing in the Advocates-on-Record examination. As long as you meet the core eligibility requirements, you can appear for the exam regardless of your age.

Do I need AIBE clearance for the AOR exam?

Yes, you need AIBE (All India Bar Examination) clearance to be eligible for the AOR exam, unless you completed your LLB degree before 2010. The AIBE is mandatory for all advocates enrolled after 2010 and serves as a prerequisite for maintaining active enrollment with State Bar Councils. However, if you graduated with your LLB before the year 2010, you’re exempt from the AIBE requirement for AOR eligibility because the AIBE was introduced only in 2010. 

Can I start training before completing 4 years of practice?

No, you cannot start your mandatory training under a senior AOR before completing four years of practice as an enrolled advocate. This means you must first complete the full 4-year practice requirement, and only then can you begin your one-year training period under a senior AOR. Starting training prematurely will not be recognized by the Supreme Court Registry.

How many times can I attempt the AOR examination?

You are allowed a maximum of five attempts at the AOR examination. Once you’ve exhausted all five attempts, you cannot appear for the examination again. This makes it crucial to prepare thoroughly for each attempt and avoid casual or premature appearances that consume your limited attempts without success.

What happens if I fail all papers in one attempt?

If you fail in all four papers of the AOR examination in any attempt, you are not permitted to appear in the immediately next examination cycle. Under Regulation 11(iii), you must skip one complete examination, which means waiting approximately two years before you can reappear (since the exam is conducted annually). This forced gap is designed to ensure you take adequate time to prepare properly.

Can advocates practicing outside Delhi become AORs?

Yes, advocates practicing anywhere in India can become AORs – you don’t need to be based in Delhi or practice primarily in Delhi courts. As long as you’re enrolled with any State Bar Council in India and meet the 4-year practice requirement through appearances in courts anywhere in the country, you qualify. However, after becoming an AOR, you must maintain an office within 16 kilometers of the Supreme Court for filing purposes and employ a registered clerk. Many successful AORs practice primarily in their home states and travel to Delhi when they have Supreme Court matters.

Are senior advocates eligible for the AOR exam?

No, if you have already been designated as a Senior Advocate by any High Court or the Supreme Court, you are not eligible to appear for the AOR examination. The Senior Advocate designation comes with the restriction that you cannot also be an AOR. The roles are distinct in Supreme Court practice – Senior Advocates focus on arguing matters and cannot file cases directly, while AORs handle filing procedures and can argue as well. Once you accept the Senior Advocate designation, the AOR route is closed to you.

What if I have a break in my legal practice?

If you have any break in your legal practice where your enrollment with the State Bar Council was suspended, removed, or voluntarily surrendered, that period does not count toward your 4-year practice requirement. The “continuous practice” requirement means uninterrupted enrollment status. The State Bar Council’s continuity certificate verifies that your enrollment has been continuous without gaps.