1817 Practice of law by attorneys displaced by hurricane Katrina; no. 377 Supreme Court rules; doc. no. 1
SUPREME COURT Practice of Law by Attorneys Displaced by Hurricane Katrina; No. 377 Supreme Court Rules; Doc. No. 1 [35 Pa.B. 5378] Order Per Curiam
And Now, this 19th day of September, 2005, it is hereby ordered that:
Based upon the extreme devastation caused to the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama by Hurricane Katrina, making it impossible to practice law in the areas affected by this storm, this Court hereby orders that the rules governing the practice of law in this Commonwealth be temporarily modified for attorneys displaced by Hurricane Katrina set forth as follows.
Attorneys holding a valid law license issued by the highest court of law in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama, who are: (i) in good standing in their respective states, (ii) persons of good character and fitness to practice law and (iii) who have been displaced from their home jurisdiction by Hurricane Katrina, are permitted to practice law in facilities located in Pennsylvania for a period of nine months from the date of this order, provided such practice is limited to furnishing legal services to their clients with respect to actions or matters arising out of the jurisdictions where they are licensed. Attorneys practicing pursuant to this Order shall not hold themselves out as licensed Pennsylvania attorneys or as authorized to practice Pennsylvania law.
Attorneys, who are not subject to the disciplinary system of the jurisdiction where they are licensed with respect to the legal services performed in Pennsylvania under this Order, shall be subject to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct and Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement. All attorneys practicing pursuant to this Order shall submit an affidavit to the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners within five (5) days of commencing the practice of law in Pennsylvania alleging that the lawyer: (i) is licensed to practice law in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama, (ii) is in good standing in their respective state, (iii) is a person of good character and fitness to practice law and (iv) has been displaced from the practice of law by Hurricane Katrina.
This Order is not intended, in any way, to restrict or limit any attorney from practicing law in compliance with Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5.
[Pa.B. Doc. No. 05-1817. Filed for public inspection September 30, 2005, 9:00 a.m.]
