E.D. Pa. L. Civ. R. 83.5.1

Program Eligibility

A. Law school clinical practice programs for which students receive academic credit

are eligible. Eligible programs:

1. must provide academic and practice advocacy training, and utilize law school

faculty or adjunct faculty for practice supervision, including federal

government attorneys or private practitioners;

2. must be certified by this court;

3. must be conducted in a manner that does not conflict with normal court

schedules;

4. must maintain malpractice insurance for its activities; and

5. may accept compensation other than from a client.

B. An eligible student:

1. must be duly enrolled in a law school and have completed at least three semesters of

legal studies, or the equivalent;

2. must be enrolled for credit in a law school clinical program which has been

certified by this court;

3. must be certified by the Dean of the law school, or the Dean's designee, and

by this Court, as being of good character and sufficient legal ability, in

accordance with subparagraphs 1–3 above, to fulfill the student's

responsibilities as a legal intern to both the student's client and this Court;

4. must not accept personal compensation for legal services from a client or other

source;

5. may, under personal supervision of a certified supervisor, represent any client

including federal, state or local government bodies, in any civil or

administrative matter, if the client on whose behalf the student is appearing

has indicated consent in writing to that appearance and the supervising

lawyer has also indicated in writing the supervisor's approval of that

appearance; and

6. may engage in all activities on behalf of the student's client that a licensed

attorney may engage in.

C. A supervisor must:

1. have faculty or adjunct faculty status at the responsible law school and be

certified by the Dean of the law school as being of good character and sufficient

legal ability and as being adequately trained to fulfill a supervisor's

responsibilities;

2. be admitted to practice in this court;

3. be present with the student at all times in court, and at other proceedings,

including depositions, in which testimony is taken;

4. co-sign all pleadings or other documents filed with the court;

5. assume full personal professional responsibility for guiding the student in

any work undertaken and for the quality of a student's work, and be available

for consultation with represented clients;

6. assist and counsel the student in activities mentioned in this rule, and review

such activities with the student, to the extent required for the proper practical

training of the student and the protection of the client; and

7. be responsible to supplement oral or written work of the student as

necessary to ensure proper representation of the client.

Certification of Student, Program, and Supervisor

A. Certifications may be withdrawn by this court at any time, in the discretion of the

court, and without any showing of cause.

1. Students are certified by order of the Chief Judge. Certification shall

remain in effect for 18 months.

2. Certification of a program by this court shall be filed with the Clerk and

shall remain in effect indefinitely unless withdrawn by the court.

3. Certification of a supervisor must be filed with the Clerk, and shall remain

in effect indefinitely unless withdrawn by this court or in writing by the

Dean of the law school.

Limitation of Activities

The court retains the power to limit a student’s participation in any case to those

activities deemed consistent with the appropriate administration of justice.