California does not allow professors to have special admission rules if they are licensed in another state. The only rule that is applicable here applies to law students under Rule 9.42.
To obtain this certification law students must be enrolled full-time at one of the ABA accredited schools of law in California. California law students admission certification requires students to meet the following:
- Complete at least 270 hours or one year of legal studies
- Be certified by a Dean of the law school
- Show good character and legal competence
- Certify in writing that they understand the California rules of professional conduct
- Certify in writing that they understand the California Supreme Court rules
- Must make certain that the clinical law practice program has informed the California Bar of the program within 30 days of the students first day in the program.
- Can not receive any compensation for their representation, but they may bee compensate if they are in employment of legal aid bureaus, attorneys, public defender organizations or by the state.
California Law Student Admission: Limited Practice
California law student admission or ability to practice law depends on a few things. However, in general, California law student admission toward a limited basis, enables them to participate in the following activities. This list is not all-encompassing but touches on the most common issues the legal student can engage in or represent a client on:
- Civil Matters of the local courts, mediations, arbitrations, dispute resolution (with clients consent)
- Criminal Matters, misdemeanor in nature in the local courts, depositions, jury questioning, (with clients consent).
- In both above matters the supervising attorney must be present except in municipal, magistrate or justice courts.
- Appear on behalf of a government agency if the maximum penalty is a fine or infraction or for a minor penalty
- Law students can however practice the following outside of the general supervisor o a supervising attorney
- Prepare motions, briefs pleadings, and other legal documents, as long as they are signed by the supervising attorney
- Assist indigent individuals and inmates who request information in regards to post conviction assistance
Requirements of Supervising Attorneys
Supervising attorneys must adhere to the following:
- Assume responsibility for student’s guidance and students work
- Agree to be the supervising attorney
- Agree to adhere to the law school guidelines of supervising attorneys
- Adhere to the California professional rules of responsibility