CA-ND — Admission & Pro Hac Vice
N.D. Cal. — Civil L.R.
Civil L.R. 11-1 through 11-3 govern admission and pro hac vice practice in N.D. Cal.
Bar Membership (Civil L.R. 11-1(b))
"To be eligible for admission to and continuing membership in the bar of this Court, an attorney must be an active member in good standing of the State Bar of California."
Pro Hac Vice Application (Civil L.R. 11-3(a))
An attorney who is not a member of the bar of this Court may apply to appear pro hac vice by submitting: (1) a written application; (2) a certificate of good standing or similar official document from the relevant bar authority, dated no more than one year prior to application; and (3) an oath certifying that the applicant is an active member in good standing of at least one U.S. court or highest state court bar.
Local Co-Counsel Required (Civil L.R. 11-3(a)(3))
The pro hac vice application must certify "that an attorney, identified by name and office address, who is a member of the bar of this Court in good standing and who maintains an office within the State of California, is designated as co-counsel." Service on local co-counsel constitutes notice to the party.
Timing of Application (Civil L.R. 11-3(b))
"An attorney seeking to appear pro hac vice must submit the application and admission fee at the time of the filing of a complaint or the attorney's first appearance in the case. A failure to meet this deadline may result in denial of the application."
California Residents Disqualified (Civil L.R. 11-3(c))
"Unless authorized by an Act of Congress or by an order of the assigned Judge, an applicant is not eligible for permission to practice pro hac vice if the applicant: (1) Resides in the State of California; or (2) Is regularly engaged in the practice of law in the State of California." A limited exception applies to attorneys who have been California residents for less than one year, have registered with the State Bar, and have officially registered to take or are awaiting results from the California bar exam.
Admission Fee (Civil L.R. 11-3(e))
The pro hac vice admission fee is set by the Court's fee schedule, available at cand.uscourts.gov/rules-forms-fees/court-fee-schedule. The Clerk will not present an application to the assigned judge unless the fee has been paid or a fee waiver request has been submitted.