An Act To Improve Citizen Access to Legal Representation

Sec. 1. 4 MRSA §802,  as amended by PL 1985, c. 124, §2, is further amended to read:

§ 802. Attorneys from other states

Attorneys who are practicing law in other states, territories or foreign countries may be admitted on motion to try cases in any of the courts of this State by those courts , but shall not and may be admitted on motion to the general practice of law in this State without complying with section 805-A. An attorney admitted to the general practice of law in this State pursuant to this section shall disclose in writing to a client in this State represented by that attorney that the attorney has not met the qualifications for admission to practice specified in section 805-A and shall obtain from that client written consent to the representation.

Sec. 2. 4 MRSA §807, sub-§1,  as repealed and replaced by PL 1989, c. 755, is amended to read:

SUMMARY

This bill allows an attorney who practices law in a jurisdiction other than this State to be admitted to the general practice of law in this State without complying with the qualifications for admission to practice law specified in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 4, section 805-A. This bill provides that an attorney from another jurisdiction admitted to the general practice of law in this State who has not met the qualifications for admission to practice law specified in Title 4, section 805-A must disclose in writing to a client in this State represented by that attorney that the attorney has not met these qualifications for admission and must obtain from that client written consent to the representation.