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CONTACT PERSON:
VALERIE WILLARD
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
(504) 310-2590
| MARCH 8,
2005 |
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Louisiana Supreme
Court Chief Justice Pascal F. Calogero, Jr. announced the
promulgation of changes to
Rules 5.5 and 8.5 of the Louisiana Rules of Professional
Conduct, as well as the adoption of a new
"in-house counsel" rule. The Louisiana Rules of Professional
Conduct regulate the ethical conduct of lawyers. The changes
to the Rules of Professional Conduct, which were recommended
by the Louisiana State Bar Association and its Multijurisdictional
Practice Committee:
- provide limited exceptions to the unauthorized practice
of law prohibitions in recognition of the realities of modern
day law practices;
- clarify which state's rules apply when a lawyer's conduct
crosses jurisdictional boundaries;
- clarify the lawyer disciplinary authority of the Supreme
Court of Louisiana; and
- allow lawyers admitted in other jurisdictions to provide
certain legal services exclusively to their employer, provided
these lawyers obtain a limited license pursuant to the new
in-house counsel rule.
The in-house counsel
rule establishes a process for non-admitted lawyers who are
employed by corporate or associational clients to receive
a limited license to allow them to perform legal work for
their employers. However, the rule does not allow in-house
counsel to make appearances in court as lawyers.
The rule changes
become effective on April 1st . However, lawyers who are subject
to the in-house counsel rule will have until July 1st to submit
their applications.
In-house lawyers who
are governed by the new in-house counsel rule should contact
Denise Leeper, Administrator of the Committee on Bar Admissions,
in order to obtain an application and related materials.
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