Rule
14-705. Admission on motion.
(a) Reciprocal admission. An admission on
motion applicant may be admitted to the practice of law if the applicant has
been admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a sister state
or United States territory or the District of Columbia where admission by
motion is authorized and the applicant meets all other requirements of this rule.
The burden of proof is on the applicant to establish by clear and convincing
evidence that he or she meets each of the following requirements:
(a)(1) has been
admitted by bar examination to practice law before the highest court of a
sister state or United States territory or the District of Columbia;
(a)(2) holds a
first professional degree in law (Juris Doctorate or
Bachelor of Laws) from an approved law school;
(a)(3) establish that the sister state or
United States territory or the District of Columbia that licensed the applicant
allows the admission of licensed Utah lawyers under terms and conditions
similar to those set forth in this rule, provided that if the sister state or
United States territory or the District of Columbia that licensed the applicant
requires Utah lawyers to complete or meet other conditions or requirements, the
applicant must meet a substantially similar requirement for admission in Utah;
(a)(4) has been substantially and lawfully
engaged in the active practice of law (meaning 50% or more) in the reciprocal
jurisdiction where licensed for at least three of the
previous four years immediately preceding the date of the filing of the
application for admission under this rule;
(a)(5) present satisfactory proof of both
admission to the practice of law and that he or she is a member in good
standing in all jurisdictions where currently admitted;
(a)(6) file with the application a
certificate from the entity having authority over professional discipline for
each jurisdiction where the applicant is licensed to practice which certifies
that the applicant is not currently subject to lawyer discipline or the subject
of a pending disciplinary matter;
(a)(7) present satisfactory proof to
demonstrate that the applicant has been substantially and lawfully engaged in
the practice of law for the applicable period of time;
(a)(8) establish
that the applicant possesses good moral character and satisfies the requirements
of Rule 14-708;
(a)(9) provide
evidence of the applicant's educational and professional qualifications;
(a)(10) upon the
filing of the application, pay the prescribed fees; and
(a)(11) file with the Bar a designated
service of process form setting forth his of her
address in this state and designating the clerk of the Supreme Court as his or
her agent upon whom process may be served.
(b) Active practice defined. For the
purposes of this rule, the "active practice of law" shall include the
following activities, if performed in a jurisdiction in which the applicant is
admitted, or if performed in a jurisdiction that affirmatively permits such
activity by a lawyer not admitted to practice:
(b)(1) sole
practitioner, partner, shareholder, associate, or of counsel in a law firm; or
(b)(2) an
organization's employee whose principal responsibility is to provide legal
advice or service; or
(b)(3) government
employee whose principal duties are to provide legal advice or service; or
(b)(4) service in
the United States armed forces in a legal capacity; or
(b)(5) judge of a
court of general or appellate jurisdiction requiring admission to a bar as a
qualification for admission thereof; or
(b)(6) law clerk to
a judge of a court of general or appellate jurisdiction; or
(b)(7) teaching
full-time in an approved law school.
(c) Unauthorized practice of law. For the
purposes of this rule, the active practice of law shall not include work that,
as undertaken, constitutes the unauthorized practice of law in the jurisdiction
in which it was performed or in the jurisdiction in which the clients receiving
the unauthorized services were located.
(d) Continuing legal education requirement.
All applicants admitted to practice law pursuant to this rule shall complete
and certify no later than six months following the applicant's admission that
he or she has attended at least 15 hours of continuing legal education on Utah
practice and procedure and ethics requirements.
(d)(1) The Board may by regulation specify
the number of the required 15 hours that must be in particular areas of
practice, procedure, and ethics. Included in this mandatory 15 hours is
attendance at the Bar's OPC ethics school. This class is offered twice a year
and provides six credit hours.
(d)(2) The remaining nine credit hours must
be made up of approved MCLE courses.
(d)(3) Twelve of the 15 hours may be
completed through self-study by access to Utah's on-line education system.
(d)(4) The above 15 hours will apply towards
the 24 hours required per two-year compliance period.
(d)(5) Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
("MCLE") credit may be awarded for out-of-state activities that in
the determination of the Board of Mandatory Continuing Legal Education
("MCLE Board") meet certain standards in furthering an attorney's
legal education. Whether to accredit such activities and the number of hours of
credit to allow for such activities shall be determined by the MCLE Board.
Activities that may be regarded as equivalent to state-sponsored MCLE may
include, but are not limited to, viewing of approved continuing legal education
videotapes, writing and publishing an article in a legal periodical, part-time
teaching in an approved law school, or delivering a paper or speech on a
professional subject at a meeting primarily attended by lawyers, legal
assistants, or law students. Application by a member of the Bar for
accreditation of a MCLE activity must be submitted in writing to the MCLE
Board. Forms and contact information regarding applying for accreditation is available
on-line at mcle@utahbar.org. Out-of-state activities cannot substitute for the
15 mandatory CLE hours described in paragraph
(d)(2) and (d)(3)
above.
(e) Subject to Utah
rules. All applicants admitted to practice law pursuant to this rule shall be subject
to and shall comply with the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct and all other
rules and regulations applicable to members of the Bar.
(f) Discipline. All applicants admitted to
practice law pursuant to this rule shall be subject to professional discipline
in the same manner and to the same extent as a member of the Bar. Every person
licensed under this rule shall be subject to control by the courts of Utah and
to censure, suspension, removal or revocation of the applicant's license to
practice in Utah regardless of where conduct occurs.
(g) Notification of change in standing. All
applicants admitted to practice law pursuant to this rule shall execute and
file with the Bar a written notice of any change in such person's good standing
in another licensing jurisdiction and of any final action of the professional
body or public authority referred to in Rule 14-705(a)(6)
imposing any disciplinary censure, suspension, or other sanction upon such
person.
(h) Form and content of application. An
admission on motion applicant shall file an application. The applicant must
provide a full and direct response to questions contained in the application in
the manner and time prescribed by this article. The Board may require
additional proof of any facts stated in the application. In the event of the
failure or the refusal of the applicant to furnish any information or proof, or
to answer any inquiry of the Board pertinent to the pending application, the
Board may deny the application without hearing. An application shall include an
authorization and release to enable the Board to obtain information concerning
such applicant. By signing this authorization and release, an applicant waives
his or her right to confidentiality of communications, records, evaluations,
and any other information that may concern the applicant's fitness to practice
law.
(i) Timing of
application and admission. An application may be filed at any time. Upon
approval by the Board of an application the applicant will be admitted in
accordance with Rule 14-716.