(a) An attorney who is admitted to the bar in the state of Connecticut and is not the subject of any pending disciplinary investigation may submit a written request on a form approved by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator to the statewide bar counsel for retirement under this section. Upon receipt of the request, the statewide bar counsel shall review it and, if it is found that the attorney is eligible for retirement under this section, shall grant the request and notify the attorney and the clerk for the judicial district of Hartford. Retirement shall not constitute removal from the bar or the roll of attorneys, but it shall be noted on the roll of attorneys kept by the clerk for the judicial district of Hartford. If the request is granted, the attorney shall no longer be eligible to practice law as an attorney admitted in the state of Connecticut, except as provided in subsection (e) of this section.
Section 2-55.Retirement of Attorney—Right of Revocation
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceAn attorney in good standing, with no pending disciplinary investigation, can ask the statewide bar counsel to be placed on retired status, which stops the right to practice but can be revoked at any time.
Full Text of Section 2-55
(b) An attorney who has retired pursuant to this section shall thereafter be exempt from payment of the client security fund fee set forth in Section 2-70 (a), but must continue to comply with the registration requirements set forth in Sections 2-26 and 2-27 (d).
(c) An attorney who has retired pursuant to this section and thereafter wishes to revoke the retirement and be eligible to practice law again in the state of Connecticut may do so at any time by sending written notice to the clerk for the judicial district of Hartford and the statewide bar counsel.
(d) Retirement pursuant to this section shall not be a bar to the initiation, investigation and pursuit of disciplinary complaints filed on or subsequent to the date of retirement.
(e) An attorney who has retired pursuant to this section may engage in uncompensated services to clients under the supervision of an organized legal aid society, a state or local bar association project, or a court-affiliated pro bono program. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 37.)
Amendment History
(Amended Nov. 17, 1999, on an interim basis pursuant to Section 1-9 (c), to take effect Jan. 1, 2000, and amendment adopted June 26, 2000, to take effect Jan. 1, 2001; amended June 14, 2013, to take effect Jan. 1, 2014.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 2-55 lets an attorney who isn’t facing a pending disciplinary investigation ask the statewide bar counsel for retirement. The bar counsel reviews the request and, if the attorney qualifies, grants it and notes the retirement on the roll of attorneys kept by the clerk for the judicial district of Hartford. Retirement doesn’t remove the attorney from the bar — it just suspends the right to practice law in Connecticut, with one exception described below.
A retired attorney no longer pays the client security fund fee but still has to meet the registration requirements in Sections 2-26 and 2-27 (d). The attorney can revoke the retirement at any time by sending written notice to the Hartford clerk and the statewide bar counsel, restoring eligibility to practice. Retiring doesn’t block any disciplinary complaint filed on or after the retirement date. And a retired attorney may still do uncompensated work for clients through a legal aid society, a bar association project, or a court-affiliated pro bono program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a retired attorney under Section 2-55 go back to practicing law?
Yes. The attorney can revoke the retirement at any time by sending written notice to the clerk for the judicial district of Hartford and the statewide bar counsel, which restores eligibility to practice.
Does retiring under Section 2-55 protect an attorney from discipline?
No. Retirement under this section doesn’t bar the initiation, investigation, or pursuit of disciplinary complaints filed on or after the date of retirement.
Can a retired attorney still do any legal work?
Yes. A retired attorney may provide uncompensated services to clients under the supervision of an organized legal aid society, a state or local bar association project, or a court-affiliated pro bono program.
What happens to the client security fund fee after retirement?
A retired attorney is exempt from paying the client security fund fee under Section 2-70 (a), but must still meet the registration requirements in Sections 2-26 and 2-27 (d).
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 2-55). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
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