Guam Bar Association

With more than 400 active and inactive members, the Guam Bar Association (GBA) was established as an integrated bar. The purpose of the GBA is to improve the administration of justice and the standards of the legal profession.

GBA is currently working to improve its online presence with a new website, membership directory and Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) found at: https://guambar.org/resources-tools/lawyer-referral-service-lrs.

The link to the new membership directory can be found at: https://guambar.org/members%E2%80%99-directories

Guam's Attorney Disciplinary System is administered by the Guam Bar Association's Committee on Professional Ethics and Unauthorized Practice of Law and overseen by the Supreme Court of Guam. An ethics complaint regarding an attorney licensed to practice law in Guam typically starts with an Attorney Ethics Complaint Form that is submitted to the Ethics Prosecutor's Office.

To understand the bar rules in Guam, attorneys should read Rule 6 of the Supreme Court of Guam's Rules for Discipline of Attorneys and Rule 1.15 of the Guam Rules of Professional Conduct. Attorneys can also access past orders of the Supreme Court disciplining Guam attorneys from the Unified Judiciary's website in the "Attorney Discipline" section.

Contact Information

Attorneys Authorized to Practice Law in Guam

As a member of the Pacific Community since 1983, Guam is an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States in Micronesia. As such, Guamanians are American citizens by birth. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, Guam is the most western territory of the United States. The capital city of Guam is Hagåtña and its most populous city in Guam is Dededo.

In order to practice law in Guam, pursuant to Section 2(b) of the GBA Rule 2, the member must be registered and in good standing with GBA. If the member is not properly registered with GBA, then the member is subject to removal from the roll of attorneys maintained by the Guam Supreme Court. Classes of membership in GBA include:

• Active;
• Temporary active;
• Inactive; or 
• Inactive Judge.

Other classifications for Attorneys in Guam include either:

• Resignation - if the member tenders their resignation; or
• Former member - under Rule 5(e) requires 10 years of reporting but no annual fee.

Pursuant to Rule 7.01(g), of the Guam Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law (as amended through Promulgation Order No. 06-007-11, June 14, 2017), the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Guam has the duty to maintain a roll of attorneys. The rule provides, in part:

"....When a person is admitted to the Bar by such court, to keep a record of such admission in the roll of attorneys and to transmit promptly to the Bar without charge certified copies of admission. When a member of the Bar is suspended, or disbarred, or held in contempt, and when a person is reinstated as a member of the Bar, it is the duty of the Clerk of the Court so doing to transmit to the Bar without charge certified copies of such orders."

Guam Bar Association's New Members Directory

GBA launched a new website on December 1, 2019, which included a new online registration system. The new online registration system allows an attorney who is members of GBA to register online. The initial registration period came to an end on January 1, 2020.

As part of the registration process, each member was provided secure access with a username and password. The secure access went to the unique Member's Dashboard. From the Member's Dashboard, the attorney can manage registration status, manage CLE records, and upgrade the GBA profile.

That member information from the registration forms provided in a digital format will be used in the new online members’ directory that is expected to go live on January 10, 2020. The new directory will showcase its members.

Guam Bar Association's Lawyer Referral Service

After the new GBA website launched on December 1, 2019, GBA introduced the new Online Registration system that allows the member to add information and update their profile in a digital format that will power the new members' directory and the new Lawyer Referral Service (LRS).

The new LRS is expected to go live on January 10, 2020.

Additional Resources

GBA Ethics Prosecutor - the GBA Ethics Prosecutor's office processes complaints regarding attorney ethics or the unauthorized practice of law.

Guam Bar Association on Facebook - Learn more about the Guam Bar Association on Facebook.

This article was last updated on Friday, January 10, 2020.