Proposed Rules Archives

• Proposed Changes to APR 8 - Special Admissions (in Word Format)
• Comments Received for APR 8 - Special Admissions

Purpose: Effective July 2008, the Supreme Court adopted an amendment to rule 5.5 of the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) that authorizes lawyers from other jurisdictions to practice law in Washington for a single employer or as authorized by federal law to provide legal services in Washington for no fee through a qualified legal services provider. RPC 5.5(e).

Although this new amendment refers to these pro bono lawyers appearing before courts pursuant to Admission to Practice Rule 8(b), they are not eligible under current APR 8(b) for pro hac vice admission because that rule requires that the non-Washington admitted lawyer maintain a residence and practice in the jurisdiction where he or she is admitted.

Therefore, the WSBA Board of Governors proposes an amendment to APR 8(b) to allow in-state house counsel to be admitted under that rule on a case-by-case basis for the limited purpose of providing pro bono legal services under RPC 5.5(e).