Texas Supreme Court advisory

Contact: Osler McCarthy, staff attorney for public information

512.463.1441 or click for email

Friday, September 30, 2005

PRACTICE WAIVER EXTENDED FOR ATTORNEYS DISPLACED IN TEXAS BECAUSE OF HURRICANES

The Texas Supreme Court ordered Friday an extension of an emergency provision to assist clients in Hurricane Katrina- and Rita-ravaged regions, protecting attorneys who are now located in Texas from prosecution for unauthorized law practice if they are practicing as though they were in their home states.

Under the Court’s revised order attorneys from Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama can practice law from Texas locations until May 31, 2006, but must register with the Texas State Bar. Their practices from Texas locations is limited to serving clients from their home states under the law of their home states.

Attorneys covered by the order must register with the State Bar by November 7 or risk prosecution for unauthorized law practice. No fee is required for registering.

The Court issued an emergency order September 2, effective for 30 days, to assure lawyers displaced from Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama who established temporary offices in Texas that they could continue to serve their clients without fear that they might be practicing law in Texas illegally.

Lawyers from the affected states should contact the State Bar of Texas’ Membership Department or download a form from the State Bar’s web site, www.texasbar.com.

Court’s order