Comments on: LAWYERS: Does anyone know if I can practice any law in a state if I’m licensed in a different state?

By: Katrine

Katrine — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:19:35 +0000

I can’t believe you asked this on Yahoo answers! This is not exactly the first source one turns to in order to check professional standards. – And anyway, shouldn’t you know this already?

By: coragryph

coragryph — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:44:05 +0000

It gives me pause that another attorney would turn to Yahoo Answers to find out bar admission requirements, rather than go to the appropriate state bar directly.

Anyway, some states are reciprocal, either immediately or after a number of years of practice, and you can get admitted “on motion”. Many states are only reciprocal with your state if your state is reciprocal with them. Some states (including California) are not reciprocal with any other state, and you need to take the local bar to be admitted locally. Ohio appears to require only admission to any other state, and 5 years practice out of the last ten. (see link below for details)

Then there’s “pro hac vice” status, if you just are involved in a specific local case, though many states also require that you affiliate with a local admitted attorney.

There’s also federal practice, which has been addressed above.

Rules for admission in Ohio are available on their website (below). See Section 9.

By: lawyermama

lawyermama — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:02:52 +0000

You can do federal law in any state, provided you apply for admission in that FEDERAL jurisdiction. If you move to ohio and you have an NJ law license, and you want to do bankruptcies or immigration in your new state just apply for admission to the local U.S. district court. There is no test, they just want you to pay money (its like $250 where I am) fill out the application, get sworn in, and voila, do any federal law you want. (Bankruptcy court may be a separate application).
You can waive in for the STATE bar with reciprocity after usually five years, or, you can do certain state cases by applying pro hac vice (an in camera interview with the judge before whom you want to appear).

By: LORD Z

LORD Z — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:47:02 +0000

from what I understand you can sit in as a friend of the court but if you plan on practicing law in another state you must approach the bar in theat state and pay your dues and or pass the bar again. Mainly they want the dues, to be licensed in that state. The retesting is there to try and set up berriers in tough markets. You could approach an existing firm in another state and see if they will let you work out of their offices for a percentage of the cases agreeing that they will serve as the lawyer of record should there be any filing questions. It is tricky but ethical.

By: Spider

Spider — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 17:22:16 +0000

Depends, you can challenge the Bar Exam and be licensed in two states or you can do Federal Administrative Law, which requires only the Federal portion of that states exam.

By: CINDY H

CINDY H — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 00:26:37 +0000

I don’t know that answer. that should have been something a “lawyer” would have learned in law school.

By: Ladeebug71

Ladeebug71 — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:55:31 +0000

I’m not a lawyer but I’m positive that you have to be licensed in that particular state. I once had a Virginia/Tennessee lawsuit and I had to hire 2 lawyers one for each state.

By: explorer

explorer — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:36:31 +0000

sounds interesting though but u r a lawyer then u must know law
well as far as my knowledge goes i guess u need to take a special permission from the highest law authorities of both the states before you move on hope that shall be enough
hope it would b useful
wish u success

By: lissboaner

lissboaner — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:04:17 +0000

no, as far as i know u cant, but since u are a laywer as well, maybe u just call a judge.