Foreign Legal Consultants

Foreign Legal Consultants



An attorney who is licensed in another country may apply to become a Registered Foreign Legal Consultant (FLC). Once the State Bar issues the attorney a certificate of registration as FLC, they are authorized to provide legal advice regarding the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are licensed and identified in the FLC application. For more details, see Cal. Rules of Court rule 9.44 and Rules of the State Bar, Title 3, Div. 3, Ch. 4.

Requirements

You must:

  • Have an active license and be in good standing to practice law in a foreign country for at least four of the last six years;
  • Have practiced the law of the country in which you are admitted;
  • Register as a foreign attorney applicant with the State Bar’s Office of Admissions in the  Applicant Portal; and
  • Submit an Application for Determination of Moral Character in the Applicant Portal. 

Note: Your FLC application will not be approved until you receive a positive moral character determination. You may not practice law as an FLC while your application is pending.

Apply for FLC

You must submit the following documents along with your FLC application in the Applicant Portal:

  • A letter of recommendation from a representative of the professional body having final disciplinary jurisdiction or a judge of the highest law court or court of original jurisdiction attesting to your professional qualifications in the country in your foreign jurisdiction. If this requirement is a hardship, you may submit a written request to waive the requirement and substitute with a letter from another attorney who is personally and professionally familiar with your work in the practice of law in the country.
  • A written statement agreeing to maintain required security for claims for errors, omissions, and dishonest conduct as stated in the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines. See Rules of the State Bar, Title 3, Div. 3, Ch. 4. You may provide evidence of security for claims to satisfy the coverage requirement through a certificate of insurance, letter of credit, written guarantee, or written agreement.
  • An original current Certificate of Good Standing.

For the current application fees, please see the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines. 

Note: All foreign-language documents must be accompanied by an English translation by a certified translator; the original foreign-language documents must also be submitted.

For questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@calbar.ca.gov or 800-843-9053.

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