Information & Applications » Rule 8.105 - Limited Admission as In-House Counsel - (In-house Counsel) » Rule 8.105 - Limited Admission as In-House Counsel
General Application Information
Rule 8.105 provides for limited admission in Missouri of a lawyer licensed in another United States or foreign jurisdiction who is employed in Missouri as a lawyer exclusively for a corporation, its subsidiaries or affiliates, an association, a business, or a governmental entity, whose lawful business consists of activities other than the practice of law or the provision of legal services. Please review Rule 8.105 for eligibility and requirements for admission as in-house counsel. There is no refund of the filing fee, even if you do not meet the requirements for admission or withdraw your application.
A license issued pursuant to Rule 8.105 only authorizes the lawyer to practice exclusively for the employer meeting the requirement of Rule 8.105(a)(1) and to engage in pro bono work with an organization approved for this purpose by The Missouri Bar. Applicants must provide a completed affidavit (on the MBLE form) from their employer verifying employment.
A license issued pursuant to Rule 8.105 is automatically nullified if the lawyer's employment in Missouri by a qualifying employer is terminated or if the lawyer is no longer licensed to practice law in another United States or foreign jurisdiction. If the lawyer's employment is terminated but the lawyer is immediately hired by another Rule 8.105 qualifying employer and the lawyer notifies the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri of the new employer, the license shall be reinstated. Rule 8.105 lawyers must immediately notify the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Missouri if there is any change in the lawyer's employment or in the lawyer's licensure status in another United States or foreign jurisdiction.
For more information, review these instructions and checklist.
Character and Fitness
All applicants must receive approval by the Board of the applicant's character and fitness for admission. The Board will conduct a complete and thorough background investigation of every applicant before reaching a determination.
Information about the character and fitness process is available here.
Proof of Citizenship or Prescribed Alien Status
Rule 8.03(a)(4) requires all applicants must be either a citizen or national of the United States, an immigrant lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or an alien otherwise authorized to work lawfully in the United States. If you are a U.S. citizen, provide a CERTIFIED birth certificate, a CERTIFIED Consular Report of Birth, or a copy of your Certificate of Citizenship. If you mail the required document to our office in lieu of uploading the document, our office will retain these documents and they will not be returned to you. You should obtain a certified copy of your birth certificate from the appropriate government office in the state where you were born. If you are a naturalized citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or an alien authorized to work in the U.S., provide a legible copy of both sides of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) document evidencing your current status - we will use it to verify your status through USCIS. We cannot accept a copy of your passport as proof of citizenship because USCIS will not verify status on the basis of a passport. You will need to provide a copy of your Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship. NOTE: An Optional Practical Training (OPT) authorization is considered part of the educational purpose of a non-resident student visa. It is not a work visa and is not considered by the Board of Law Examiners as satisfying the requirement of Rule 8.03(a)(4).
J.D. Requirements
Rule 8.105(a)(2)(A) requires that a lawyer admitted in another United States jurisdiction hold a first professional degree in law (J.D. or LL.B) from a law school approved by the American Bar Association. To demonstrate that your J.D. degree has been conferred, the Board of Law Examiners requires an official transcript that reflects the date the degree was awarded. "Issued to student" transcripts will not be accepted. You should request an official transcript be mailed directly to our office by your school or submitted electronically by the school with email notification to the MBLE office at transcripts@courts.mo.gov. The transcript must include the date your J.D. degree was awarded.