An attorney who doesn’t live, work or conduct regular business in California can petition the court to represent his or her client under a title called “pro hac vice.” That is a Latin term that means "for this occasion."
Lawyers licensed in another state must formally petition a California court for permission to appear on behalf of a client on a particular case. Although the State Bar does not have its own standard application form for such petitions, it must receive a copy of pro hac vice requests made to state courts. This does not apply to federal courts.
For more on the eligibility rules for pro hac vice, see Rule 9.40 of the California Rules of Court.
The State Bar does not have a standard application form for attorneys who want to apply as pro hac vice. The application will consist of documents filed with the state court where the attorney would like to appear. The documents need to include the following information:
In addition to filing the documents in court, the attorney must send a copy of the documents and notice of hearing to the State Bar's San Francisco office for processing. A filing fee of $50 is due along with the petition. It is payable with a credit card. Send it to:
Pro Hac Vice Program Office of Special Admissions The State Bar of California 180 Howard St. San Francisco, CA 94105 Phone: 415-538-2111 Email: ProHac@calbar.ca.gov
More information about what the application should include is in Rule 9.40.
For questions, speak with the clerk of the court where the application is submitted. Attorneys can also contact the State Bar's Office Admissions at 415-538-2100.