Frequently Asked Questions – In-House Counsel
I am no longer employed by the company I listed on my application. Whom do I notify?
I am admitted in New Jersey working as
in-house counsel. I am administrative ineligible because I have not
kept up with my annual dues. What must I do to continue as in-house
counsel?
I have had a number of civil and administrative suits
filed against the business entity I am employed. Do I have to submit
the documentation?
What kind of professional references are needed in the
application?
I am a patent attorney at a
corporation. Do I have to apply for in-house counsel?
Can foreign attorneys
apply for In-House Counsel?
How do I obtain the forms for name changes?
How do I notify you with a change of address?
How do I obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from New Jersey once I am admitted?
How do I apply for a wall license after receiving a limited admission to the New Jersey Bar as an In-House Counsel?
I am no longer employed by the company I listed on my application. Whom do I notify?
You must notify the Board of Bar Examiners within 60 days of termination of employment. If you are employed by another company, please complete the Change of Employer form located on our website. Your admission will expire if you are not employed by another company within
90 days of termination of employment and another application must be filed if you are subsequently hired by another company as an in-house attorney.
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The application requires me to get abstracts of my driving record for the past seven years. The state in which I am licensed provides only a three-year abstract. How do I comply with New Jersey’s requirement?
The Board of Bar Examiners requires a “Complete Certified Abstract” for every jurisdiction in which you have held a driver’s license during the past seven years. This does not mean that the abstract has to be for seven years. Your request to Motor Vehicles must however, state that you require a “complete certified abstract.” The State of New Jersey Division of Motor Vehicles requires a written request to obtain a complete abstract.
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I am admitted to
several states and federal courts. Do I need to file Certificates of
Good Standing from each of them?
You must file a Certificate of Good Standing from every
jurisdiction, state and federal, to which you have ever been admitted.
If you have officially been granted inactive status, the jurisdiction should
supply confirmation of the recognized status. If you have ceased
paying dues or have allowed your license to lapse, you will have to
regularize your status in the jurisdiction so that proper certification can
be submitted.
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The application requires me to submit
letters of disciplinary history. What if that jurisdiction does not
have disciplinary authorities?
If the jurisdiction does not have disciplinary authorities, i.e.,
federal jurisdictions and agencies no documentation is required from
them. It is expected that if you have been disciplined by such
jurisdiction or agency, full disclosure is expected to be made.
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I am admitted in New Jersey working as
in-house counsel. I did not complete the Skills and Methods
Course. Should I apply for In-House Counsel Licensure?
You must be current with the Skills and Methods Course in order to work
as in-house counsel. You may not apply for in-house counsel. The
Supreme Court is granting a blanket extension to January 1, 2005, to
complete the Skills and Methods requirement.
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I am admitted in New Jersey working as
in-house counsel. I am administrative ineligible because I have not
kept up with my annual dues. What must I do to continue as in-house
counsel?
You must be current with your annual dues. The fees must be paid to
the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection immediately.
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I have had a number of civil and administrative suits
filed against the business entity I am employed. Do I have to submit
the documentation?
If there was a judgment of liability against the you personally or in your
official capacity as an officer or principal of the business entity, the
matter must be disclosed and the relevant documents attached. If you
were not personally sued and named only in the capacity of an officer or an
employee of the company and no judgment of liability issued against you, the
suit need not be disclosed and documents do not need to be attached.
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What kind of professional references are needed in the
application?
Professional references from New Jersey for those who have been employed in
the state for a number of years, as opposed to jurisdictions in which you
have been admitted but had limited or no professional contact. You
need not present references from overlapping jurisdictions, for example from
each department in New York and the Eastern District.
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I am a
patent attorney at a corporation. Do I have to apply for in-house
counsel?
Because patent attorneys are federally regulated, you do not have to apply for
in-house counsel licensure, unless you do other contractual work that would
require a state license.
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Can foreign attorneys
apply for In-House Counsel?
Attorneys must be admitted to practice law before the highest court of an
United States jurisdiction, such as any other state, territory of the United
States, Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia, in order to apply for
In-House Counsel licensure .
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How do I obtain the forms for name changes?
Complete the Name Change form and return it to the address provided. If you require a new wall license with your new name, please complete and submit the Request for Wall License form, along with a certified check or money order for $40 made payable to Secretary, New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners.
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How do I notify you with a change of address?
Complete the Applicant Address Change form and return it to the address provided.
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How do I obtain a Certificate of Good Standing from New Jersey once I am admitted?
On admission, all in-house counsel will receive a Certificate of Good Standing. If you need an additional Certificate,
click here for a Certificate of Good Standing Request Form and appropriate instructions.
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How do I apply for a wall license after receiving a limited admission to the New Jersey Bar as an In-House Counsel?
You may order a wall license by completing the Request for Wall License form
and sending it to the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners, ATTN: In-House Counsel Wall License, P.O. Box 973, Trenton NJ 08625-0973. Be sure to include a certified check or money order for $40 payable to the Secretary, New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners.
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