Q: I understand that President Barack Obama, as well as his wife, each were at one time members of the Illinois State Bar. Many years ago, before he became President, they each voluntarily surrendered their licenses to practice law. Why did they do this?
—Seymour Richards, Atlanta
A: President Obama placed his law license on inactive status four days after he announced his candidacy for president in February 2007, according to FactCheck.org, which is run by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center, a nonpartisan "consumer advocate for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." James Grogan, the deputy administrator and chief counsel for Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, told the website this summer that by placing their law licenses on inactive status, the Obamas don't have to pay an annual fee that is now $342 and take classes to meet the state's Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement. President Obama worked as a civil rights attorney from 1991-96, before being elected to the Illinois Senate. Michelle Obama worked for a corporate law firm in Chicago from 1989-94, but put her law license on inactive status when she went to work for Public Allies. Grogan told FactCheck.org that it is fairly common for lawyers in the state who don't intend to continue practicing law to go on inactive status because they don't have to petition the Illinois Supreme Court to do so.
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