Limited Admission for Foreign Legal Consultants under Rule 424, SCACR
A person who is granted a limited certificate to practice as a foreign legal consultant may render limited legal services in South Carolina.
Electronic Communications
All information and announcements are posted on the Office of Bar Admissions' webpage at scbaradmissions.sccourts.org. Applicants are expected to regularly visit this webpage to review the announcements and information posted there. Applicants are also required to maintain a current email address and mailing address on their personal bar application account and to regularly read all mail from the Office of Bar Admissions, whether sent electronically or by the postal service. Applicants must ensure that emails from the Office of Bar Admissions are not filtered as spam and should add noreply@scbaradmissions.sccourts.org to their email address book.
Application for a Limited Certificate of Admission for Foreign Legal Consultants
An applicant who wishes to apply for admission as a foreign legal consultant must file an application with the South Carolina Supreme Court Office of Bar Admissions along with all required documents and application fee. If any certificate or document is not in English, the applicant must furnish a duly authenticated English translation of such document. The nonrefundable application fee is currently set at $1,000.00. If an application is subsequently withdrawn, the Office of Bar Admissions will not issue a refund or credit the application fee(s) to a future application.
General Requirements for a Limited Certificate of Admission for Foreign Legal Consultants
In its discretion, the Supreme Court of South Carolina may license to practice in this state as a foreign legal consultant, without examination, an applicant who meets the following requirements.
- Is a member in good standing of a recognized legal profession in a foreign country, the members of which are admitted to practice as attorneys or counselors at law or the equivalent and are subject to effective regulation and discipline by a duly constituted professional body or a public authority;
- For at least five of the seven years immediately preceding his or her application has been a member in good standing of such legal profession and has actually been engaged in the practice of law in the said foreign country or elsewhere substantially involving or relating to the rendering of advice or the provision of legal services concerning the law of the said foreign country;
- Possesses the good moral character and general fitness requisite for a member of the Bar of this State;
- Is at least twenty-six years of age;
- Intends to practice as a foreign legal consultant in this State and to maintain an office in this State for that purpose; and
- Has paid all required fees.
