IN RE: RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT ON LEGAL INTERNSHIP

IN RE: RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT ON LEGAL INTERNSHIP
2011 OK 44
Case Number: SCBD-2109
Decided: 05/16/2011

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA

FOR PUBLICATION IN OBJ ONLY. NOT RELEASED FOR OFFICIAL PUBLICATION.

In Re: Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma on Legal Internship

ORDER AMENDING THE RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT
OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA ON LEGAL INTERNSHIP

¶1 The Oklahoma Bar Association by and through John Morris Williams, Executive Director, filed an application to amend the Rules of the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma on Legal Internship (Rules), 5 O.S.2001, ch. 1, app. 6. This Court finds that it has jurisdiction over this matter and that Rule 2.1A should be added to the Rules and that Rule 4.1(a) should be amended.

¶2 It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed that the Rules are hereby amended to add "Rule 2.1A - Academic Legal Intern License" as set out in its entirety as Exhibit A attached hereto and amended to add language to Rule 4.1 which is set out in its entirety as Exhibit B attached hereto.

¶3 It is also ordered that the amendments to the Rules as attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B shall be available for access via the internet from the Court website at www.oscn.net and shall be provided to West Publishing Company for publication. The amendments to the Rules are effective immediately.

DONE BY THE SUPREME COURT IN CONFERENCE this 9th day of May, 2011.

/S/CHIEF JUSTICE

Taylor, C.J., Colbert, V.C.J., and Kauger, Winchester, Edmondson, Reif, Combs, Gurich, JJ., concur.

Watt, J., not voting.

EXHIBIT A

Rule 2.1A ACADEMIC LEGAL INTERN LICENSE

A law student not otherwise eligible for licensure under Rule 2 and enrolled in a law school academic program that requires the utilization of an intern's license must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible for a limited license as an Academic Legal Intern:

(1) Requirements:

(a) Be a regularly enrolled student at an accredited law school located in the State of Oklahoma;

(b) Have successfully completed one-third (1/3) of the number of academic hours in a law school program leading to a Juris Doctor Degree required by the American Bar Association Accreditation Standards;

(c) Have a graduating grade point average at his or her law school;

(d) Have approval of his or her law school dean or the dean's designate;

(e) Have either completed or be concurrently enrolled in Professional Responsibility and Evidence Courses;

(f) Successfully pass the examination required by Rule 5.2;

(g) Be registered with the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners; and

(h) Be enrolled in a law school course that will provide direct law school faculty supervision for the student's activities under the Academic Legal Intern License, including physical presence of a supervising faculty member at all court appearances.

(2) Limitations

All limitations and procedures which apply to the regular limited license shall apply to the academic limited license, except the academic legal intern shall make no court appearance without a faculty supervisor present. The Academic Legal Intern's license may only be used in conjunction with enrollment in a program established pursuant to Rule 4.1(a).

(3) Expiration of Academic Legal Intern License: Once an Academic Legal Intern is no longer enrolled in a course described in Rule 2.1A(1)(h), the student's Academic Legal Intern License must be placed on inactive status. If the student wants to use a Limited Legal Intern License thereafter, that student shall have to meet all qualifications for a Limited Legal Intern License under Rule 2.1 or Rule 2.2, including the submission of a current application and payment of an application fee, however, the student shall not have to retake the Licensed Legal Intern exam.

Exhibit B

Rule 4.1 APPROVED LAW SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS

A law school may create an internship training program as part of its regular curriculum which uses Licensed Legal Interns Licensed by the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma. These programs may be of two types:

(a) A program directly supervised by the faculty of the law school, which may also use Academic Legal Interns.

(b) A program directly supervised by practicing attorneys with indirect supervision through the faculty of the law school.