South Dakota § 16-16A-2 - Eligibility--Deadline--Form--Notice--Selection--Participant maximum.

§ 16-16A-2. Eligibility--Deadline--Form--Notice--Selection--Participant maximum.

An individual may be admitted to the public service pathway program if the student:

1.Is currently enrolled at the law school;

2.Completes an application for participation and is approved by the dean of the law school and the hiring authority of the host public service entity with whom the participant will be placed;

3.Satisfactorily completed all required 1L curriculum;

4.Satisfactorily completed all required 2L curriculum;

5.Satisfactorily completed the Professional Responsibility class;

6.Successfully completed four semesters towards the individual’s degree with the law school;

7.Is registered to take or has taken the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam by November of the participant’s 3L year;

8.Has never taken a bar examination or been admitted to the practice of law in another jurisdiction; and

9.Agrees to work full time with a host public service entity approved by the dean of the law school and the board as outlined in § 16-16A-3.

An individual is not required to meet these requirements at the time of application but must satisfy the eligibility requirements by the commencement of the program. The student must complete the application on a form provided by the dean of the law school. Notice of the application period shall be given in the same way internships and externships are noticed within the law school. The dean of the law school shall review applications and select program participants. No more than ten students may be admitted to the program from one law school class.

Source: SL 2025, ch 227 (Supreme Court Rule 25-01), eff. Feb. 21, 2025.

Commission Note: This section is effective until February 21, 2030, per § 16-16A-12.