Admission to Practice R.
1. The “active practice of law” means that anThere is no fee for filing a petition under this section.attorneylawyer has been engaged in the practice of law, which includes private practice, house counsel, public employment, or academic employment.
2. A “Rule 3.1attorneylawyer” is any person who is or was admitted to practice in the courts of any state, district, or territory of the United States, including North Dakota, and who has satisfied the authorization requirements under Section C.
3. An “approved legal services organization” for the purposes of this Rule is a non-profit legal services organization that has as one of its primary purposes the provision of legal assistance to indigents, free of charge, in civil matters. A legal services organization must be approved as such by the Supreme Court. The organization must file a petition with the Clerk of the Supreme Court explaining:a. the structure of the organization and whether it accepts funds from its clients;
b.the major sources of funds used by the organization;
c. the criteria used to determine potential clients’ eligibility for services performed by the organization;
d.the types of services performed by the organization;
e. the names of all members of the State Bar of North Dakota who are employed by the organization or who regularly perform legal work for the organization; and
f. the existence and extent of malpractice insurance that will cover a Rule 3.1attorneylawyer.
1. a certificate from the highest court or agency in the state, territory, or district documenting that the applicant is presently licensed to practice law or has been licensed to practice law for at least five of the ten years immediately preceding the date of the application;The statement must also indicate whether the applicant has ever been suspended or disbarred from a court in any jurisdiction.
2. a certificate from theattorneylawyer disciplinary authority in each jurisdiction where the applicant has been admitted to the bar that theattorneylawyer is not disbarred or suspended or currently undergoing proceedings of disbarment or suspension of the applicant’s license to practice law against the applicant in that jurisdiction;
3. a statement signed by an authorized representative of the approved legal services organization that the applicant is or will be an unpaid volunteer under the direct supervision of the organization; and
4. a sworn statement signed by the applicant that he or she:a. has read and is familiar with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules of the Supreme Court, and the applicable statutes of the State relative to the conduct of lawyers, and will abide by those provisions;
b. submits to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court for disciplinary purposes, as defined by the Rules of the Supreme Court;
c. if not presently licensed to practice law, has been engaged in the active practice of law for at least five of the ten years immediately preceding the date of application; and
d. is not under any restriction or probation in the practice of law in any jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed.
1. civil contempt imposed by the presiding judge or hearing officer for failure to abide by a tribunal’s orders in any matter in which the[Adopted effective March 15, 2009. Amended effective April 1, 2013.]attorneylawyer has participated; and
2. withdrawal of the certification under this Rule, with or without cause, by either the Supreme Court or the approved legal services organization.