Third-Year Practice Certificate

If you would like a Third-Year Practice Certificate for Virginia (or other jurisdictions), please file a request with the Student Records Office (SRO). The request form must be printed and submitted by hand to SRO, or emailed in PDF format to studentrecords@law.virginia.edu. 

To obtain a certificate from the Virginia Bar pursuant to Rule 15, you must have completed at least four semesters of law school, and successfully completed the following courses:

1. Civil Procedure (LAW 6000)
2. Criminal Law (LAW 6003)
3. Evidence (LAW 6104)
4. Professional Responsibility (LAW 7071 or 7072)

If you are a 2L and will need your practice certificate for a summer job in between your 2L and 3L year, SRO cannot request a certificate until we can confirm the satisfactory completion of the prerequisites above. So, please submit your Third-Year Practice Certificate request by April 15 so that SRO can obtain a preliminary grade (i.e., to confirm at least a passing grade) from your instructors, thereby allowing SRO to make the request to the Virginia Bar during the third week of May. Otherwise, SRO must wait until the final grading deadline (in early June) to be able to confirm that a rising 3L has satisfied the prerequisites. 

Clinic Participants

In early August, following the conclusion of the summertime lottery process, SRO submits a request to the Virginia Bar for practice certificates for 3Ls enrolled in the Prosecution Clinic and the Criminal Defense Clinic. Third-years who enroll in other clinics should contact SRO to initiate the process for obtaining a 3L Practice Certificate from the Virginia Bar (in August for fall and/or yearlong clinics, or in January for spring-only clinics).