In-house counsel registration

scale sitting atop a puzzleOn July 30, 2008, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued Order 06-06* recreating Supreme Court Rule10.03 (4)(f) which provides, in part, that counsel not admitted to the practice of law in this jurisdiction but admitted in any other U.S. jurisdiction or foreign jurisdiction, who is employed as a lawyer in Wisconsin on a continuing basis and employed exclusively by a corporation, association, or other nongovernmental entity, the business of which is lawful and consists of activities other than the practice of law or the provision of legal services, shall register as in-house counsel within 60 days after the commencement of employment as a lawyer by submitting to the Board of Bar Examiners the following:

  1. A completed electronic application (visit the online admissions site);
  2. A non-refundable fee of two hundred and fifty dollars ($250) to the Board of Bar Examiners;
  3. Documents proving admission to practice law in the primary jurisdiction in which counsel is admitted to practice law (a good standing certificate from the Clerk of the Supreme Court of the state of license and a disciplinary history letter from the agency that handles attorney discipline); and
  4. An affidavit from an officer, director, or general counsel of the employing entity attesting to the lawyer's employment by the entity and the capacity in which the lawyer is so employed.
    Note: The affidavit should include the applicant's date of hire as in-house counsel.

The effective date of the new rule is January 1, 2009.

Visit the online admissions site.

If a registered in-house counsel leaves the employ of entity specified in the attorney's initial filing for another similar entity in this jurisdiction, the attorney must submit an updated registration form. The new employing entity must also provide the affidavit required by SCR 10.03(4)(f)4.

*Note: Order 08-26 was issued on October 31, 2008, to correct certain errors in the original order.