Unapproved Law School and Foreign Attorneys
Utah allows individuals who graduated from qualifying non-ABA accredited law schools and who meet other requirements to sit for the bar examination. In order to qualify, the individual must meet the requirements in Rule 14-704(c).
Utah allows individuals who graduated from a law school in an English common law country and who meet other requirements to sit for the bar examination. In order to qualify, the individual must meet the requirements in Rule 14-704(d).
Both of those rules are listed below with additional guidance in red. The burden is on the applicant to ensure the required elements are met before applying for admission. The Office of Admissions will not review an individual's application to determine whether the individual qualifies before submission, though it will answer general questions related to the requirements.
Additional Guidance for Rule 14-704(c)
This information in red is intended to help you as you prepare to submit an application for admission. The burden is on the applicant to provide evidence of qualification under the rules.
(c) Attorney Applicants from Unapproved Law Schools. An Applicant who does not meet the educational qualifications in Rule 14-704(a)(3) is qualified provided the Applicant establishes by clear and convincing evidence that she or he:
(c)(1) complies with the requirements in (a)(1) and (a)(2) and (a)(4) through (a)(9);
(c)(2) has graduated with a First Professional Degree in law from an Unapproved Law School located within a U.S. state, territory or the District of Columbia;
* A First Professional Degree is a juris doctorate or an equivalent degree that prepares the individual for the practice of law. This is NOT an LLM or master of laws. See Rule 14-701 for definitions.
* An Unapproved Law School is one that is not accredited by the ABA, but is accredited in the jurisdiction where it is located and provides an education similar to the standards required by the ABA. The Unapproved Law School education cannot be completed by correspondence or internet study. See Rule 14-701 for definitions.
(c)(3) has been admitted to the practice of law before the highest court of a U.S state, territory or the District of Columbia for no fewer than ten years, and has been Actively and lawfully engaged in the Full-time Practice of Law in one or more jurisdictions where licensed for any ten of the eleven years immediately preceding the filing of the application.
* The Active Full-time Practice of Law is defined in Rule 14-701(b), (u), (jj). In the least, it is employment available only to a licensed attorney, for at least 80 hours a month, that is not UPL and is not administrative or managerial in nature. See Rule 14-701 for definitions.
* You must submit proof of compliance with this requirement through job descriptions, redacted billing records, verification letters from employers, or the like.
Additional Guidance for Rule 14-704(d)
This information in red is intended to help you as you prepare to submit an application for admission. The burden is on the applicant to provide evidence of qualification under the rules.
(d) Attorney Applicants from Foreign Law Schools. The burden of proof is on the Applicant to establish by clear and convincing evidence that she or he:
(d)(1) graduated from a Foreign Law School in a country where principles of English common law form the predominant basis for that country's system of jurisprudence;
* Not all countries qualify. You will need to provide information indicating that the country in which you graduated from law school is an English common law country.
(d)(2) complies with the requirements in (a)(1), (a)(2) and (a)(5) through (a)(9);
(d)(3) has been admitted to practice law in an English common law jurisdiction;
* You must provide information showing that you were admitted to practice law in an English common law jurisdiction. A copy of your licenses, a certificate of good standing, a verification letter, or something similar is sufficient.
(d)(4) has been Actively and lawfully engaged in the Full-time Practice of Law in an English common law jurisdiction for no fewer than two (2) years;
* The Active Full-time Practice of Law is defined in Rule 14-701(b), (u), (jj). In the least, it is employment available only to a licensed attorney, for at least 80 hours a month, that is not UPL and is not administrative or managerial in nature. See Rule 14-701 for definitions.
* You must submit proof of compliance with this requirement through job descriptions, redacted billing records, verification letters from employers, or the like.
(d)(5) has completed with a minimum grade of “C” or its passing equivalent no less than 24 semester hours, or a corresponding amount in quarter hours, at an Approved Law School, within 24 consecutive months. The 24 semester hours must include no less than one course each in a core or survey course of constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal procedure or criminal law, legal ethics and evidence;
* The required courses and credits must be completed at an Approved Law School, which is one that is accredited by the American Bar Association. See Rule 14-701 for definitions.
* You must provide transcripts and scores for the completed coursework. If the class, by name, does not clearly fulfill the requirement you must submit course descriptions to support a claim that the course fulfills the requirement.
(d)(6) is of good moral character and satisfies the requirements of Rule 14-708;
* The character and fitness review satisfies this requirement.
(d)(7) has successfully passed the MPRE and the Bar Examination; and
(d)(8) complies with the provisions of Rule 14-716 concerning licensing and enrollment fees.