Select a category below to see a list of questions & answers pertaining to them:
How Do I Get My Legal Directory Information Changed?
To make changes to your legal directory information, do the following:
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Log in FIRST to the www.dsba.org website.
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In the members area page (first page when you log in), click the LEGAL DIRECTORY button OR click HERE.
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At the top of the page, there will be a button which reads “HAS YOUR ADDRESS CHANGED?” Click that button and fill out the form that pops up.
Note: You will have to fill in four required fields: FIRST NAME, LAST NAME, BAR ID and EMAIL.
FILLING OUT THIS FORM WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST THE LEGAL DIRECTORY, IT WILL SEND AN EMAIL TO OUR MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR WHO ADJUSTS THE APPROPRIATE DIRECTORY INFO.
The Supreme Court database is SEPARATE from DSBA’s and you may also need to fill out information with the Court.
What percentage of my dues are tax deductible?
Your dues payment will not be deductible as a charitable contribution, but will, in general, be deductible for most members as an ordinary and necessary business expense, except to the extent provided in the next sentence. Pursuant to the Revenue Reconciliation Act of 1993, DSBA estimates that 5% of your dues payment will not be deductible as a business expense because of the DSBA’s lobbying activities on behalf of its members.
How Do I Get a Replacement (or a New) Bar Card?
DSBA does not issue your bar card. If you need a new bar card with your picture and Bar ID, you will need to contact the Clerk of the Delaware Supreme Court.
The Delaware Bar Exam – how to sign up; what is required
The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) handles the implementation of all rules related to the certification of attorneys for the Supreme Court and administers the Bar Exam. The BBE website is https://www.courts.delaware.gov/bbe/faqs.aspx.
This website will detail all the information necessary for the applicant to take the Delaware Bar and includes access to the application and lists all requirements.
The Bar Application is an electronic application and is located on the Board’s website. All required documents and information must be uploaded with the Application at the time of filing. Applications filed that are not complete will be rejected and will not be considered by the Board. Refer to the Application instructions for a complete list of what must be filed with an Application.
Fingerprinting and Background Checks – All applicants must be fingerprinted. Refer to the BBE website for more information as to how to do this. You are urged to submit all background check requests to the federal and Delaware state bureaus of investigation as soon as possible, as the completed checks must be uploaded to your bar application not later than September 1. It can often take 90 days or more to receive your background checks. Character and Fitness Investigations will not be done on Applicants who have not submitted these reports.
The Delaware Bar Exam
The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) handles the implementation of all rules related to the certification of attorneys for the Supreme Court and administers the Bar Exam. The BBE website is https://www.courts.delaware.gov/bbe/faqs.aspx.
Do I need to file my own CLE certificate?
DSBA COURSES ONLY:
If you took the course with DSBA – No. All LIVE, ZOOM, and ONLINE VIDEO credits are automatically reported by DSBA directly to the CLE Commission. The following issues should be considered:
- Live seminars: If you attend a live seminar through DSBA, you will need to fill out a certificate of attendance in order to receive credits. You fill out the form and submit it to staff before you leave. If you have forgotten to fill one out, you may do so here: [link not yet available].
- Zoom seminars: As long as you log in using your correct email address and remain attentive throughout the full CLE, you will automatically receive credit without the need to fill out a certificate of attendance. If you attend only part of the seminar, you will receive credit for the portion you attend. Again, there is no need to submit a certificate to DSBA or the CLE Commission.
- Online CLEs Videos: If you purchase an online video through DSBA, you need only watch the full CLE and a certificate will be automatically generated at the end of your watching. You do not need to print the CLE or submit it to DSBA or the CLE Commission. If you do not watch to the end of the CLE, no credits will be reported. This is an automatic process.
NON-DSBA COURSES:
DSBA naturally does not report your credits if you took the seminar with another provider. You should contact that provider to see if they will submit credits or, if not, submit your certificate of attendance directly to the CLE Commission. You can see the policies and website for the Commission below.
CLE COMMISSION POLICIES AND CONTACT INFO:
CLE Comm: https://courts.delaware.gov/cle/policies.aspx
Phone: 302-651-3941
Can I get CLE Credit for Pro Bono Work?
The CLE Commission Rules govern this question. See the CLE Commission Rules.
Upon application to the CLE Commission, you may get credit for certain Pro Bono activities; an attorney may receive one credit hour for every 6 hours of pro bono work.
The attorney cannot exceed 6 CLE credits per their 2-year CLE reporting period.
CLE Transcript Issues
An attorney’s CLE transcript and any questions concerning the transcript should be directed to the Delaware Supreme Court CLE Commission. Their website is found here: https://courts.delaware.gov/cle/ and their phone number is 302-651-3941.
The CLE Commission permits all attorneys to log in to their own account to see their current CLE credit transcript and this will allow them to review their current total credits. That website is: https://www.desclms.org/Security/SignIn.aspx. You will need to know your user ID and password.
If you took a DSBA CLE, your credits will be reported if you filed a certificate of attendance following a live CLE. If you attended a Zoom CLE, DSBA will receive your attendance information automatically. DSBA reports all CLE credits within 45 days of attendance. If your issue is with whether DSBA has reported your CLE credits to the Commission, contact LTucker@dsba.org to inquire if the credits have been reported.
If you took a CLE through another organization, you will need to check with that organization to see whether they will file your credits for you or if you will need to file the certificate with the CLE Commission. DSBA does not file credits for non-DSBA courses.
Paying or Renewing Dues for Membership
You can pay your dues anytime on this page (Membership & Dues).
Remember you can always click JOIN/RENEW at the top of our homepage.
How Can An Attorney Opt Into Getting Cases From the Lawyer Referral Service?
- Log into the website
- This takes you to the Members Area.
- The left column menu has a Services tab.
- Under that tab is “Lawyer Referral”
- When you click this, it takes you to the Lawyer Referral Program (or click the link to the left) and this gives you an option to “OPT IN”
- Opt in.
- You will get a list of questions to answer about the type of practice areas you can help with.
- You will need an insurance carrier info because that is required. (If you don’t have insurance yet, you can call DSBIS for a fairly cheap rate.)
- You will then be eligible for emails from various clients.
Online CLEs – How to Order and Watch
To purchase a video CLE for credit, use the www.dsba.org/cle page and select the “Online Videos” tab (page defaults to live CLEs tab).
Once you make your purchase, that video will be available on your members area page (select WATCH PURCHASED VIDEOS) or just go here: https://www.dsba.org/members-area/cle-videos/
BEFORE your purchase a CLE, check the expiration date which appears right below its title. The CLE commission only permits you to watch a CLE for up to 2 years after it has been filmed. You will be able to watch that CLE and get initial credits only one time and you need to do it before the expiration date or it will disappear. However, after you view it, it will still appear in your cle-videos page until it expires, so you can always review it again, but no longer for credit.
After the expiration date, it will disappear from your list.
Once you watch the CLE all the way to the end, the credits will be reported to DSBA staff who then enter them into the CLE Commission database which puts them on your transcript.
How to Add Your Photo to Your Legal Directory Entry:
You cannot add or edit your own picture. Please submit your photo by email to: websitesupport@dsba.org and be certain the picture’s name is your Bar ID. (e.g. 2718)
How do I login to dsba.org for the 1st time?
Please visit this page (Logging in For The First Time), enter your email address, bar ID, and submit the form (see picture to the right). If the form doesn’t report an error you should receive an email within 15 minutes with a secure link that will allow you to set your password. Please follow the instructions in the email to set your password and login.
NOTE: The email address you submit s your username and must match the one on file for you with the DSBA. If you are unsure or need to change your email address, please contact the DSBA’s Director of Bar Services and Membership (Contact Us).
NOTE: You must use the secure link within 3 hours or it will expire. If it does expire, you can go back to the “Logging in For The First Time” page and submit the form again to receive a new email with a fresh link.
You can get your registration code on this page (Mobile App Registration Code).
Please visit this page (Resetting Your Password), enter your email address, bar ID, and submit the form. If the form doesn’t report an error you should receive an email within 15 minutes with a secure link that will allow you to set your password. Please follow the instructions in the email to set your password and login.
NOTE: The email address you submit s your username and must match the one on file for you with the DSBA. If you are unsure or need to change your email address, please contact the DSBA’s Director of Bar Services and Membership (Contact Us).
NOTE: You must use the secure link within 3 hours or it will expire. If it does expire, you can go back to the “Resetting Your Password” page and submit the form again to receive a new email with a fresh link.
How does a patent attorney in another state become a patent agent in Delaware?
Patent attorneys in other states who wish to serve as a patent agent in Delaware should contact the U.S. District Court:
WEBSITE: https://www.ded.uscourts.gov
PHONE: 302-573-6170
Preceptors (for Admission to the Bar)
The Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) handles the implementation of all rules related to the certification of attorneys for the Supreme Court and administers the Bar Exam, including the identification of an applicant’s preceptor. The BBE website is https://www.courts.delaware.gov/bbe/faqs.aspx.
A preceptor is often an employer or friend of the applicant to the Bar who agrees to serve as a mentor and supervisor through the application and clerkship process which is required by the BBE.
Student members of the DSBA have access to our Mentoring program which can offer attorneys interested in serving as a preceptor.
My credit card won’t work in purchasing something…what’s happening?
There could be a number of issues:
BILLING ADDRESS: Perhaps the biggest problem is that the billing address you’ve entered is not the same as the one on your credit card.
CARD EXPIRATION: Has your card expired? Check the expiration date.
If you still are having problems, please email reception@dsba.org.
Where should I find out how many CLE credits I need?
Your CLE transcript is handled by the CLE Commission, which is an arm of the Supreme Court of Delaware. To access the policies of the CLE Commission, please go to: CLE Comm: https://courts.delaware.gov/cle/policies.aspx
If you need to contact the Commission, their number is 302-651-3941.
Where are all the FAQs?
You are currently only in the Access to Justice tab of the FAQ page. Notice that the FAQs are organized into various categories and tabbed with the names of different areas to search such as CLE, Dues, Publications, etc. Just click on the appropriate tab and you will see more questions. And, if you don’t see your questions, just send us an email at websiteupdates@dsba.org and we’ll try to help you!
