Minnesota House Counsel are governed by Minnesota Admission Rule 9 and 10. These rule enable attorneys who are not licensed in the state of Minnesota to practice in Minnesota as house counsel. There are certain requirements to be eligible under these rules. Rule 9 tends to govern out of state attorneys who plan on practicing in the state for less than 12 months and Rule 10 tends to govern out of state attorneys who plan on practicing in the state for more than 12 months. To be eligible as a Minnesota house counsel an out of state attorney have to:
- Possess a juris doctorate degree from a law school approved by the ABA
- Be members in good standing of any bar where they are considered a member
- All CLE requirements must be met in the bars where the attorney is currently a member
- Certify they have read the Minnesota Code of Professional Conduct
- Pay the application fee as well as any dues that are paid by the active members of the Minnesota bar.
House Counsel Practice
To satisfy both above rules attorneys must be employed as an in house counsel for an association/company, whether that is for profit or non-profit organization is immaterial as long as the actual practice of the company is not itself for legal services. All attorneys attempting to be a in house counsel that are barred out of state must apply for a registration certificate within 90 days of beginning their employment, and must only give advice to the organization where that they are registered to, failure to do so makes them ineligible for the necessary Minnesota Pro Hac Vice Admission. This could make them ineligible to practice.
As an in house counsel, the attorneys who are admitted under the aforementioned rule, receive all the benefits of actual members of the Minnesota bar. This also includes being responsible for any disciplinary issues as well. They do not have the ability to be involved in any activities that require Minnesota Pro Hac Vice Admission, unless the state of Minnesota approves it or it it is for pro bono services.
Reporting to the Minnesota Bar
House counsel's are required to report to the Minnesota Bar any changes in their bar membership status or employment. They must also report any sanctions that are being brought against them. This is all required to be submitted to the bar within 10 days. If an attorney is disbarred in any jurisdiction where they are a member their ability to practice as an in house counsel is also revoked in Minnesota.