The Board was created in 1897 in response to a joint recommendation by the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association that Illinois should have a formal body for regulating admission to the practice of law in the state.
A 711 license allows a student to: (1) Counsel clients, negotiate in the settlement of claims and engage in the preparation and drafting of legal instruments.
(2) Appear in the trial courts and administrative tribunals subject to the following qualifications: (i) Appearances, pleadings, motions and other documents to be filed with the court may be prepared by the student or graduate and may be signed by him with the accompanying designation "Senior Law Student" or "Law Graduate" and must also be signed by the supervising member of the bar.
(iii) In all other civil and criminal cases, the student or graduate may conduct all pre-trial, trial and post-trial proceedings and the supervising member of the bar need not be present.
The license is available for work with (1) a legal aid bureau, legal assistance program, organization or clinic chartered by the State of Illinois or approved by a law school approved by the American Bar Association, (2) the Office of the Public Defender or (3) a law office of the State or any of its subdivisions.