Wash. Admission & Prac. R. 14

(a) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to authorize lawyers from a foreign country to

advise or consult about foreign law and to prescribe the conditions and limitations upon such

limited practice.

(b) Qualifications.

(1) To qualify as a Foreign Law Consultant applicant for admission to the limited practice

of law in the State of Washington as provided in these rules, a person must:

(i) Present satisfactory proof of both admission to the practice of law, together with current

good standing, in a foreign jurisdiction, and active legal experience as a lawyer or counselor at

law or the equivalent in a foreign jurisdiction for at least 5 of the 7 years immediately preceding

the application; and

(ii) Possess good moral character and fitness to practice law as defined in APR 20; and

(iii) Execute under oath and file with the Bar an application in such form as may be

required by the Bar; and

(iv) File with the application a certificate from the authority in such foreign country having

final jurisdiction over professional discipline, certifying as to the applicant’s admission to

practice, and the date thereof, and as to the good standing of such lawyer or counselor at law or

the equivalent, together with a duly authenticated English translation of such certificate, if it is

not in English; and

(v) File with the application a letter of recommendation from one of the members of the

executive body of such authority or from one of the judges of the highest law court or courts of

original jurisdiction of such foreign country, together with a duly authenticated English

translation of such letter, if it is not in English; and

(vi) Provide with the application such other evidence of the applicants educational and

professional qualifications, good moral character and fitness and compliance with the

requirements of this rule as the Board of Governors may require; and

(vii) Pay upon the filing of the application a fee equal to that required to be paid by a lawyer

applicant to take the lawyer bar examination.

(2) Upon a showing that strict compliance with the provisions of subsections (b)(1)(iv) or

(b)(1)(v) would cause the applicant unnecessary hardship, the Bar may at its discretion waive or

vary the application of such provisions and permit the applicant to furnish other evidence in lieu

thereof.

(c) Procedure. The Bar shall approve or disapprove applications for Foreign Law

Consultants licenses. Additional proof of any facts stated in the application may be required by

the Bar. In the event of the failure or refusal of the applicant to furnish any information or proof,

or to answer any inquiry of the Board pertinent to the pending application, the Bar may deny the

application. Upon approval of the application by the Bar, the Bar shall recommend to the

Supreme Court that the applicant be granted a license for the purposes herein stated. The

Supreme Court may enter an order licensing to practice those applicants it deems qualified,

conditioned upon such applicant’s:

(1) Taking and filing with the Clerk of the Supreme Court the Oath of Attorney pursuant to

APR 5; and

(2) Paying to the Bar the license fee and any mandatory assessments for the current year in

the maximum amount required of active lawyer members; and

(3) Filing with the Bar in writing their address in the State of Washington, or the name and

address of their registered agent as provided in APR 13, together with a statement that the

applicant has read the Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules for Enforcement of Lawyer

Conduct, is familiar with their contents and agrees to abide by them.

(d) Scope of Practice. A Foreign Law Consultant shall be authorized to engage in the

limited practice of law only as authorized by the provisions of this rule. A Foreign Law

Consultant may not:

(1) Appear for a person other than the Foreign Law Consultant as lawyer in any court or

before any magistrate or other judicial officer in this state (other than upon permission for a

particular action or proceeding pursuant to rule 8(b)) or prepare pleadings or any other papers or

issue subpoenas in any action or proceeding brought in any court or before any judicial officer of

this state;

(2) Prepare any deed, mortgage, assignment, discharge, lease or any other instrument

affecting title to real estate located in the United States; or

(3) Prepare any will or trust instrument affecting the disposition on death of any property

located in the United States and owned by a resident thereof; or any instrument related to the

administration of a decedents estate in the United States; or

(4) Prepare any instrument with respect to the marital relations, rights or duties of a resident

of the United States, or the custody or care of the children of such a resident; or

(5) Render legal advice on the law of the State of Washington, of any other state or territory

of the United States, of the District of Columbia or of the United States (whether rendered

incident to preparation of legal instruments or otherwise) unless and to the extent that the Foreign

Law Consultant is admitted to practice law before the highest court of such other jurisdiction; or

(6) In any way hold themself out as a member of the Bar of the State of Washington; or

(7) Use any title other than “Foreign Law Consultant,” the firm name, and/or authorized

title used in the foreign country where the Foreign Law Consultant is admitted to practice. In

each case, such title or name shall be used in conjunction with the name of such foreign country.

(e) Regulatory Provisions. A Foreign Law Consultant shall be subject to the Rules for

Enforcement of Lawyer Conduct and the Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the

Supreme Court and to all other laws and rules governing lawyers admitted to the Bar of this state,

except for the requirements of APR 11 relating to mandatory continuing legal education.

Jurisdiction shall continue whether or not the Consultant retains the authority for the limited

practice of law in this state, and regardless of the residence of the Consultant.

(f) Continuing Requirements.

(1) Annual Fee and Assessments. A Foreign Law Consultant shall pay to the Bar an annual

license fee and any mandatory assessments for the current year in the maximum amount required

of active lawyer members.

(2) Report. A Foreign Law Consultant shall promptly report to the Bar any change in their

status in any jurisdiction where they are admitted to practice law.

(g) Termination of License. A limited license is granted at the sufferance of the Supreme

Court and may be revoked at any time upon the courts own motion, or upon the motion of the

Bar, with or without cause, including failure to comply with the terms of this rule.

(h) Reciprocity. A Foreign Law Consultant applicant shall demonstrate that the country or

jurisdiction from which they apply does not impose, by any law, rule or regulation, any

requirements, limitations, restrictions or conditions upon the admission of members of the Bar as

Foreign Law Consultants in that foreign country or jurisdiction that are significantly more

limiting or restrictive than the requirements of this rule. The Supreme Court may deny a license

to a Foreign Law Consultant applicant on that basis, or may impose similar limitations,

restrictions or conditions upon foreign legal consultant applicants from that foreign country or

jurisdiction.