Posted: July 14, 2022
Rules Governing the Utah State Bar – Effective August 1, 2022
USB14-0701. Definitions. AMEND.
- In acknowledging the remote work environment created by the pandemic, amendments remove the requirement that “active practice” activities be performed in the jurisdiction in which the applicant is admitted.
- Amendments also remove teaching full-time at an approved law school as an “active practice” activity in favor of creating an exception for this type of work under Rule 14-705, which is the admission by motion rule.
USB14-0705. Admission by motion. AMEND.
- Amendments remove geographic restrictions for purposes of counting years of practice toward admission by motion requirements.
- Amendments allow time in Utah to count toward time practicing in another jurisdiction so long as the lawyer has complied with Rule 5.5 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Amendments reduce the amount of time a lawyer must have practiced in another jurisdiction from 60 months to 36 months.
- Amendments also exempt full-time Utah law professors from the requirement of being engaged in the active full-time practice of law for the relevant time period, so long as they have worked at least 80 hours per month as a law professor during that time.
USB14-0712. Qualifications for admission based on UBE. AMEND.
- Paragraph (c)(2) currently provides that a UBE score may be transferred up to 5 years after exam administration if the attorney applicant can prove that they have practiced for at least 2 ½ years.
- Repeal of paragraph (c)(2) would bring the rule in line with Rule 14-705 amendments by funneling such applicants through the admission by motion process rather than the UBE score transfer process.
USB14-0809. Practice Pending Admission. AMEND.
- Amendments to paragraph (c)(3) conform to Rule 14-705 amendments regarding geographic restrictions and time spent practicing.
- Amendments also expand practice eligibility:
- from one year to eighteen months after certificate issuance, and
- from one failed Bar exam attempt to two failed Bar exam attempts.
This entry was posted in -Rules Governing the Utah State Bar, USB14-0701, USB14-0705, USB14-0712, USB14-0809.