Hunter Biden has voluntarily surrendered his license to practice law in Washington, D.C., effectively consenting to permanent disbarment. This decision follows the recommendation of a disciplinary agency and comes in the wake of his recent felony convictions. What role did Hunter’s drug use admissions play in this decision?
From Yale Law to Disbarment
Hunter Biden will be permanently disbarred from practicing law in Washington, D.C., after filing an affidavit under seal in the D.C. Court of Appeals consenting to disbarment. The D.C. Bar’s Board on Professional Responsibility announced the decision, which must still be formally accepted by the court for the disbarment to become official.
Hunter graduated from Yale Law School in 1996 and was admitted to the D.C. bar in 2007, though reports indicate he never actively practiced law there. His law license was initially suspended in June last year after being found guilty of lying about his drug use to obtain a firearm in 2018.
Hunter Biden, after agreeing to a disciplinary board's recommendation that he be disbarred, is expected to permanently lose his license to practice law in Washington, D.C. MORE: https://t.co/nqycpS3bLB pic.twitter.com/pODAHdVlxm
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) April 3, 2025
Criminal Convictions and Pardons
The voluntary surrender of Hunter’s law license comes after a series of legal troubles that culminated in multiple criminal convictions. Hunter was found guilty on all counts in a Delaware gun trial and later pleaded guilty to nine charges related to tax evasion, including three felonies and six misdemeanors.
Before leaving office in December, former President Joe Biden issued his son a “full and unconditional” pardon for the gun conviction. The pardon, while clearing Hunter’s criminal record, could not prevent professional disciplinary actions, as the D.C. Bar’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel had already initiated proceedings to suspend his law license due to his felony convictions.
YO Hunter Biden was just stripped of his DC Law License. Imagine smoking so much crack that the people who elected Marion Barry don't want you around.
— Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla) April 2, 2025
Avoiding Lengthy Proceedings
By voluntarily surrendering his license, Hunter avoids what could have been lengthy and public disbarment hearings. Bar authorities cited Rule XI, which requires suspension for attorneys guilty of a felony, as part of their case against him.
The specifics of Hunter’s decision to surrender his law license were kept confidential by the board, described only as “standard procedure.” Hunter also holds a law license in Connecticut, which is currently under administrative suspension for non-payment of a reinstatement fee, raising questions about his future ability to practice law in any jurisdiction.
In a March court filing related to separate matters, Hunter described himself as a struggling artist, citing financial difficulties due to declining art sales and the impact of the January Los Angeles fires. He continues to face legal challenges, including a pending federal libel suit against former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne, filed in the Central District of California, where he will be represented by South Carolina attorney Dick Harpootlian.