Category: -Rules Governing the State Bar

Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Comment Period Closed May 7, 2022

USB14-0701. Definitions. AMEND. 

  • In acknowledging the remote work environment created by the pandemic, amendments remove the requirement that “active practice” activities be performed in the jurisdiction in which the applicant is admitted.
  • Amendments also remove teaching full-time at an approved law school as an “active practice” activity in favor of creating an exception for this type of work under Rule 14-705, which is the admission by motion rule.

USB14-0705. Admission by motion. AMEND.

  • Amendments remove geographic restrictions for purposes of counting years of practice toward admission by motion requirements.
  • Amendments allow time in Utah to count toward time practicing in another jurisdiction so long as the lawyer has complied with Rule 5.5 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct.
  • Amendments reduce the amount of time a lawyer must have practiced in another jurisdiction from 60 months to 36 months.
  • Amendments also exempt full-time Utah law professors from the requirement of being engaged in the active full-time practice of law for the relevant time period, so long as they have worked at least 80 hours per month as a law professor during that time.

USB14-0712. Qualifications for admission based on UBE. AMEND.

  • Paragraph (c)(2) currently provides that a UBE score may be transferred up to 5 years after exam administration if the attorney applicant can prove that they have practiced for at least 2 ½ years.
  • Repeal of paragraph (c)(2) would bring the rule in line with Rule 14-705 amendments by funneling such applicants through the admission by motion process rather than the UBE score transfer process.

USB14-0809. Practice Pending Admission. AMEND.

  • Amendments to paragraph (c)(3) conform to Rule 14-705 amendments regarding geographic restrictions and time spent practicing.
  • Amendments also expand practice eligibility:
    • from one year to eighteen months after certificate issuance, and
    • from one failed Bar exam attempt to two failed Bar exam attempts.

USB14-0807. Law school student and law school graduate legal assistance. AMEND. 

  • Amendments extend law school graduate practice eligibility:
    • from one year to eighteen months after graduation, and
    • from one failed Bar exam attempt to two failed Bar exam attempts.
  • Amendments also fix a number of formatting issues, simplify language, and add headings for easier application.
  • New paragraph (g)(3)(G) provides that if a 14-807 practitioner substantially aids in the preparation of written materials in an appellate case, including briefs and memoranda, the supervising attorney may, at the attorney’s discretion, credit the 14-807 practitioner by including the practitioner’s name on the filing below the supervising attorney’s name.
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Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Comment Period Closed December 23, 2021

USB14-0113. Paralegal Division. Amend. In the context of the Paralegal Division, rule amendments are intended to capture the interplay between Licensed Paralegal Practitioners (LPP’s) and non-Bar-licensed paralegals. The amendments may be summarized as follows:  

  • A paralegal may also include an LPP as defined in Rule 14-101 
  • The certification requirements are waived for LPP’s joining the paralegal division;  
  • The term “bar licensee” refers to both a lawyer and an LPP; and  
  • An LPP may be a sponsor of a paralegal affiliate in the paralegal division. 
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Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Comment Period Closed November 11, 2021

USB14-0209. Utah Bar Foundation. Proposal to repeal. 

Background 

The Utah Bar Foundation (UBF) was created in 1963 as a 501(c)(3) organization. Its original purpose was to raise funds from members of the legal community in order to support civil legal aid for lower income Utahns, to fund law-related education, to further the administration of justice, and to support other worthwhile law-related causes. 

Section 2.1 of UBF’s 1963 founding Bylaws states the following: “Section 2.1 Classification, Qualification, Privileges and Election of Members. The corporation shall have one class of members consisting of all duly qualified, active members of the Utah State Bar who are in good standing. Each member shall have one (1) vote at any meeting of the members.” At some point many years ago, language in substantially the same form was codified in Rule 14-209. 

UBF stopped raising private funds from the legal community in 1999 when nonprofit “and Justice for all” was created. “and Justice for all” now serves as the primary fundraising organization in the legal community.  

Because UBF has evolved to receive financial support from a wide variety of sources and not solely from private legal community funds, the UBF Board is proposing to amend its Bylaws so that it no longer has defined membership. This would allow active, inactive, and non-attorneys to serve on the Utah Bar Foundation Board of Directors, as well as members of the general public. It will also render moot the language of Rule 14-209. 

The vote to amend the Bylaws will take place at a meeting of the currently defined membership which is defined as “all duly qualified, active members of the Utah State Bar who are in good standing.” Notice for that meeting will be provided in the Utah Bar Journal and given via email to all qualified UBF members as their email address appears on the records of the Utah State Bar. Additional details on the date, time, and location of the meeting, as well as a full copy of the proposed Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws for the Utah Bar Foundation, can be found on the Foundation’s website at https://www.utahbarfoundation.org. 

Please contact the Foundation offices for any questions or additional information at 801-297-7046 or via email at kim@utahbarfoundation.org 

While the Foundation will continue to provide regular updates to Utah attorneys about their activities, this amendment to the Bylaws will allow the Foundation to be more inclusive of all stakeholders that share its common vision and mission of supporting civil legal aid and law-related education efforts.

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Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Comment Period Closes December 17, 2020

The Supreme Court Board of Mandatory Continuing Legal Education is proposing changes to the MCLE Rules that govern licensed attorneys.  For more information, please see the attached letter from David Hirschi, Chair MCLE Board.

David Hirschi MCLE Letter

USB14-0401.

USB14-0402.

USB14-0403.

USB14-0404.

USB14-0405.

USB14-0406.

USB14-0407.

USB14-0408.

USB14-0409.

USB14-0410.

USB14-0411.

USB14-0412.

USB14-0413.

USB14-0414.

USB14-0415.

USB14-0416.

USB14-0417.

USB14-0418.

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Rules Governing the State Bar, Rules Governing Licensed Paralegal Practitioner, and Licensed Paralegal Practitioners Rules of Professional Conduct – Comment Period Closed March 8, 2019

Rules Governing the State Bar

USB14-0802. Authorization to practice law. The amendments to Rule 14-802 clarify that the forms an LPP may use are forms approved by the Judicial Council.

Rules Governing Licensed Paralegal Practitioners

URGLPP15-0510. Prosecution and appeals. The amendment to Rule 15-510 changes a cross reference to Standing Order No.7 to a cross reference to Rule 14-303.

Licensed Paralegal Practitioners Rules of Professional Conduct

LPP1.013. Organization as a client. Rule 1.13 is repealed because it governs when an LPP represents an organization as a client and an LPP may not represent an organization as a client.

LPP5.04. Professional independence of a licensed paralegal practitioner and LPP6.01. Voluntary pro bono legal service.

The amendments to Rules 5.4 and 6.1 remove language that refers to an LPP representing an organization as a client. An LPP may not represent an organization as a client.

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Rules Governing the State Bar – Comment Period Closed February 3, 2019

USB14-0302. Definitions. New. This is part of an effort to codify Standing Order No. 7, which established a program of professionalism counseling for members of the Utah State Bar. This rule provides the definitions used in Rule 14-303.

USB14-0303. Professionalism and Civility Counseling. New. This is part of an effort to codify Standing Order No. 7, which established a program of professionalism counseling for members of the Utah State Bar. This rule provides for the composition of the Professionalism and Civility Counseling Board, the Board’s authority and responsibilities, and the procedures surrounding the submission and resolution of complaints.

USB14-0510. Prosecution and appeals. Amend. Updates references to Standing Order No. 7 to new Rule 14-303.

 

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