Pennsylvania Code
Title 204 - JUDICIAL SYSTEM GENERAL PROVISIONS
Part IV - ADMISSION TO PRACTICE LAW
Chapter 71 - PENNSYLVANIA BAR ADMISSION RULES
Subchapter B - ADMISSION TO THE BAR GENERALLY
IN GENERAL
Rule 205 - Admission by bar examination for graduates with foreign law degrees

Universal Citation: 204 PA Code ยง 205

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024

(a) General rule. The Board, under such standards, rules and procedures as it may prescribe, may extend the provisions of Rule 203 (relating to the admission by bar examination) to any applicant who has completed the study of law in a law school which at the time of such completion was not located within the geographical area encompassed by the accreditation activities of the American Bar Association and:

(1) who has been admitted to practice law in and is in good standing at the bar of a foreign country or another state, as evidenced by a certificate from the highest court or agency of such foreign country or state having jurisdiction over admission to the bar and the practice of law and

(2) who has for a period of five years of the last eight years immediately preceding the date of filing of the application for admission to the bar of this Commonwealth engaged in the practice of law in such foreign country or another state. For purposes of this paragraph, the phrase "engaged in the practice of law" is defined as "devoting a major portion of one's time and energy to the rendering of legal services." The practice of law must be performed in a foreign country or state in which the applicant was admitted to practice law or in a foreign country or state that affirmatively permitted such activity by a lawyer not admitted in that jurisdiction. The term "practice of law" shall not include providing legal services when such services as undertaken constituted the unauthorized practice of law in the foreign country or state in which the legal services were performed or in the foreign country or state in which the clients receiving the unauthorized services were located.

(b) Law study required. Unless otherwise provided by the Board, applicants who meet the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this rule may apply to sit for the Pennsylvania Bar Examination provided they have successfully completed 24 credit hours in an accredited American law school in the following subjects: Conflict of Laws; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Corporations; Criminal Law; Decedents' Estates; Evidence; Family Law; Federal and/or Pennsylvania Civil Procedure; Federal Income Taxes (personal only); Professional Responsibility; Real Property; Torts; Uniform Commercial Code, Art. II-Sales; Legal Research and Writing; and Employment Descrimination. No more than 4 credit hours in any one subject shall be counted toward this requirement. In fulfilling this requirement, applicants must successfully complete up to 4 credits in each of the following subjects:Constitutional Law; Federal and/or Pennsylvania Civil Procedure; Professional Responsibility; and Legal Research and Writing. All coursework for the required credit hours shall be completed at the campus of an accredited law school in the United States. No credit shall be allowed for correspondence courses, on-line courses, courses offered on any other media, or other distance learning courses.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Pennsylvania may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.