Local Rule RULE 83.1: ADMISSION OF ATTORNEYS

RULE 83.1 ADMISSION OF ATTORNEYS (Detailed instructions regarding the attorney admission process are available on the Court's website.)

(a) General Admission of Attorneys

(1) Any attorney licensed to practice law in any state in the United States or the District of Columbia shall be admitted to practice generally in this Court upon payment of an initial fee, as prescribed in the Fee Schedule, and completion of the registration process through PACER.

(2) Attorney applicants are required to submit a Certificate of Good Standing issued less than 60 days from the date of application from a state in which the attorney applicant is licensed, all state bar numbers issued to the attorney applicant, and an Oath of Office.

(3) An attorney may submit a Certificate of Admission to Practice in the Northern or Central Districts of Illinois in lieu of a Certificate of Good Standing, together with all state bar numbers issued to the attorney applicant, and an Oath of Office.

(4) Attorneys must periodically pay a fee to maintain and renew their membership in the Court's bar. The amount and interval of the renewal fee shall be set by the Court and published in the Fee Schedule.

(b) Pro Hac Vice Admissions

(1) Except as otherwise provided in the Local Rules, any attorney licensed to practice law in any state in the United States or the District of Columbia who does not wish to be admitted generally, but wishes to be admitted in a specific civil or criminal case only, may, upon submission of a Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice, be permitted to appear of record and participate pro hac vice.

(2) An attorney seeking pro hac vice admission must first register through PACER as a pro hac vice filer. Once the request to e-file is approved, the Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice must be filed with a verified statement setting forth all state and federal bars of which the movant is a member, the bar number, if any, issued by each jurisdiction, and a statement as to whether the movant remains in good standing in each jurisdiction. The required filing fee prescribed in the Fee Schedule for pro hac vice motions must be paid at the time the motion is filed. If the motion is denied, the fee will be refunded by Order of the Court.

(c) Government Representation Any attorney representing any governmental entity, whether federal, state, or municipal, may appear and participate in individual cases in their official capacity after registering through PACER as a government attorney. A Certificate of Good Standing and admission fee are not required. Government attorneys must enter their appearance in a case, as required of any attorney.

(d) Non-Resident Counsel Parties who are represented by counsel who do not reside in this district shall not be required to retain local counsel to represent them. At any time for good cause, upon the motion of any party, or upon its own motion, the Court may require that a non-resident attorney obtain local counsel to assist in the conduct of the case.

(e) Admission to Practice in an MDL Case Admission to the bar of this Court is not required to file or appear in a case transferred to this Court pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1407 on an order of the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ("MDL Case"). Attorneys who seek to file or appear in an MDL case and who do not already have e-filing access in this Court must apply through PACER. Although the attorney applicant must be in good standing with the bar, a Certificate of Good Standing and admission fee are not required.

(f) Representation in Cases

(1) In all cases filed in, removed to, or transferred to this Court, all parties, except governmental agencies or those appearing pro se, must be represented by a member of the bar of this Court. Service upon any attorney of record for a party shall constitute service upon all other counsel appearing of record for the party.

(2) Unless otherwise excepted by this Rule, pleadings or other documents submitted by a party who is not represented by a member of the bar of this Court shall be returned by the Court.

(g) Appearances In all cases filed in, removed to, or transferred into this Court, the attorney filing the initiating document need not file a separate entry of appearance. Once the initiating document is filed, any attorney other than the one who filed the initiating document must file a separate entry of appearance before filing a document or appearing before the Court.

(h) Withdrawals in Civil Cases An attorney may not withdraw an entry of appearance for a party without leave of Court and notice to all parties of record.

(1) Leave of Court The motion for leave to withdraw shall be in writing and, unless another attorney is substituted or already of record, shall state the last known address of the party represented, and must advise the party being represented that he/she/they may seek to retain other counsel if they so choose. Within 21 days of the entry of an order of withdrawal, the party or the new counsel shall file with the Clerk of Court a supplementary appearance that provides an address at which the party and/or the new counsel may receive service of documents related to the case. The Court may deny the motion if granting it would delay the trial of the case or would otherwise be inequitable.

(2) Notice to Parties Unless another attorney is substituted or already of record, a withdrawing attorney must give reasonable notice to the party being represented of the motion for leave to withdraw. Notice shall be by personal service or certified mail at the party's last known business or residential address. The motion for leave to withdraw must certify that notice has been provided.

If the motion for withdrawal is granted, the withdrawing attorney shall serve a copy of the order of withdrawal within 7 days by personal service or certified mail upon any unrepresented parties.

(3) Pro Bono Counsel The withdrawal of counsel assigned pursuant to the Pro Bono Program (SDIL-LR 83.10-83.14) is governed by SDIL-LR 83.10-83.12.

(i) Conduct Conduct of attorneys admitted to practice in this Court is controlled by SDIL-LR 83.2.

(j) Duty of Attorneys to Accept Pro Bono Assignments Unless expressly exempted, every member of the bar of this Court, as defined in subparagraph (a) of this Rule, shall be available for assignment by the Court to represent or assist in the representation of those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. SDIL-LR 83.8-83.14 set forth the district's Pro Bono Program and applicable procedures.

(k) Representation by Supervised Senior Law Students A student in a law school who has been certified to render services pursuant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 711 may, upon approval of the judge before whom the case is pending, perform such services in this Court as allowed by Rule 711 while under the supervision of an attorney authorized to practice in this Court. In addition to the agencies specified in paragraph (b) of Rule 711, the law school student may render services with the United States Attorney for this district, the legal staff of any agency of the United States government, or the Federal Public Defender for this district, including any of its staff or panel attorneys.

(l) Registration Fee When a fee is collected from an attorney for general admission to practice in this Court, the amount prescribed by the Judicial Conference of the United States for general admission shall be paid to the Treasury of the United States. Any amount collected above the basic admission fee shall be retained by the Clerk of Court for use as set forth in this Court's Plan for the Administration of the District Court Fund. The entire fee collected from a pro hac vice admission, and any fee prescribed and collected for the periodic renewal of membership to this Court's bar, shall be retained by the Clerk of Court for use as set forth in this Court's Plan for the Administration of the District Court Fund.

(m) Renewal Fee The periodic fee for renewal of membership in the district bar shall be set forth in the Fee Schedule (available on the Court's website). The Clerk of Court shall notify attorneys of the applicable procedures and deadlines in advance of each renewal period.