D.C. Court of Appeals Seeks Comments on Proposed Amendments to Rule 46

July 18, 2018

In response to a proposal from the D.C. Bar, the court is considering whether to amend D.C. App. R. 46 relating to admission of graduates of non-accredited law schools. Memoranda provided by the D.C. Bar that explains the proposed amendment is included in the notice. The court specifically invites interested parties to address the following questions, in addition to whatever other else parties wish to address:

• To what extent, if any, should considerations of reciprocity play a role in the admission of foreign-educated lawyers to the D.C. Bar? Cf D.C. App. R. 46 (f)(2)(D) (addressing reciprocity in context of Special Legal Consultants);
• Should the rules permitting admission to the bar of graduates of domestic law schools not accredited by the American Bar Association be different from the rules applicable to graduates of foreign non-accredited law schools?
• Should the court require that the some or all of the requisite course of study be taken within the United States?;
• Should the court permit any of the additional course of study to be fulfilled by distance learning, and if so to what extent?;
• If specific courses are to be required, what should they be?;
• If the court were to retain the rule requiring that all courses focus on subjects tested on the Uniform Bar Exam, should it amend the rule to add a distribution requirement for those courses?
• Should a separate English-language proficiency requirement be imposed?;
• To what extent would the proposal address the specific needs of law firms, their clients, and other individuals seeking legal services in the District of Columbia?;
• What is the expected practical impact of the proposal on the number of new admittees to the D.C. Bar?

This notice is published to provide interested parties an opportunity to submit written comments concerning the proposal under consideration. Comments must be submitted by July 31, 2018. Comments may be submitted by email, or submitted in writing to:

Clerk, D.C. Court of Appeals
430 E St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20001