The State Bar seeks public comment regarding revisions to the State Bar Rules of Court, rule 9.46 Registered In-House Counsel; rule 9.45 Registered Legal Services Attorneys; rule 9.44 Registered Foreign Legal Consultants ; and rule 9.41.1 Registered Military Spouse Attorney.
Deadline: November 5, 2018
Special Admissions rules govern the extent to which those not formally admitted to the State Bar of California may practice in California. At its February 2018 meeting, the Board adopted amendments to its strategic plan adding the following objective to Goal 2: No later than December 31, 2018, review special admissions rules to determine whether changes are needed to support the goal of increased access to legal services or for other reasons, and implement needed changes.
Staff reviewed the rules for Registered In-House Counsel (RIHC), Registered Legal Services Attorneys (RLSA), and Registered Foreign Legal Consultants (RFLC) and developed proposals to remove unnecessary barriers to the program with an eye toward increasing access to legal services. Staff also developed a proposal that allows special admission to military spouses.
On September 13, 2018, this item was presented to the Board of Trustees’ Programs Committee with a request to advance the proposed modifications by circulating for a 45-day public comment period. The Programs Committee approved and the proposed modifications have been attached here.
This proposal recommends revisions to the RIHC, RLSA and RFLC Rules of Court and Rules of the State Bar, and proposes adopting a special admissions Rule of Court and Rules of the State Bar for Registered Military Spouse Attorneys with the goal of increasing access to legal services.
The proposed modifications for the rules related to RIHC address the following areas:
The proposed modifications for the rules related to the registered legal services attorney program address the following areas:
The proposed new Registered Military Spouse Attorney Rule creates a new special admissions category for the spouse of an active duty member of the United States Uniformed Services who is ordered stationed in California who is a licensed attorney in another state. This proposal is drafted to largely conform with the RIHC and RLAA rules. The proposed rules address the following areas:
Rules 9.41.1; 9.44; 9.45; and 9.46 will be changed as set forth in the attached redline versions of the revised rules.
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Programs Committee Item III. B.: Revisions to the Special Admissions Rules
Programs Committee
November 5, 2018
The State Bar of California Re: Special Admissions Rules 180 Howard Street San Francisco, CA 94105 Email: Public.Comment@calbar.ca.gov
Please reference the specific item in your comments.