§ 84A-2. Application for a certificate of registration.
§84A‑2. Application for a certificate of registration.
(a) Any person desiringto obtain a certificate of registration as a foreign legal consultant shallfile an application, in duplicate, with the North Carolina State Bar on a formprescribed by the North Carolina State Bar. The application shall be made underoath, and shall contain information relating to the applicant's age, residence,address, citizenship, occupation, general education, legal education, moralcharacter, and any other matters requested by the North Carolina State Bar.
(b) An applicant shallsubmit two 2‑inch by 3‑inch photographs of the applicant showing afront view of the applicant's head and shoulders.
(c) The applicant shallsubmit an application fee required by the North Carolina State Bar with theapplication. An application fee imposed under this subsection may not exceedtwo hundred dollars ($200.00). Applications that are received without fees orapplications that are not substantially complete shall be promptly returned to theapplicant, with a notice stating the reasons for returning the applicationunprocessed and stating any additional fees that the State Bar determines arerequired as a condition of reapplication.
(d) The applicationshall be accompanied by all of the following documents, and, if any documentsare not in English, accompanied by duly authenticated English translations of:
(1) A certificate fromthe authority that has final jurisdiction regarding matters of professionaldiscipline in the foreign country or jurisdiction in which the applicant wasadmitted to practice law, or the equivalent thereof. This certificate must besigned by a responsible official or one of the members of the executive body ofthe authority, imprinted with the official seal of the authority, if any, andmust certify:
a. The authority'sjurisdiction in such matters;
b. The applicant'sadmission to practice law, or the equivalent thereof, in the foreign country,the date of admission, and the applicant's standing as an attorney or the equivalentthereof; and
c. Whether any chargeor complaint ever has been filed with the authority against the applicant, and,if so, the substance of and adjudication or resolution of each charge orcomplaint.
(2) A letter ofrecommendation from one of the members of the executive body of this authorityor from one of the judges of the highest law court or court of general originaljurisdiction of the foreign country, certifying the applicant's professionalqualifications, and a certificate from the clerk of this authority or the clerkof the highest law court or court of general original jurisdiction, attestingto the genuineness of the applicant's signature.
(3) A letter ofrecommendation from at least two attorneys, or the equivalent thereof, admittedin and practicing law in the foreign country, stating the length of time, when,and under what circumstances they have known the applicant and their appraisalof the applicant's moral character.
(4) Any other relevantdocuments or information as may be required by the North Carolina State Bar.
(e) In addition to thedocuments set forth in subsection (d) of this section, the North Carolina StateBar may require other evidence as to the applicant's education, professionalqualification, character, fitness, and moral qualification.
(f) Records, papers,and other documents containing information collected or compiled by the NorthCarolina State Bar or any of its members or employees as a result of anyinvestigation, application, inquiry or interview conducted in connection withan application for a certificate of registration are not public records withinthe meaning of Chapter 132 of the General Statutes.
(g) Reciprocity betweenNorth Carolina and the foreign country in which the applicant is licensed isrequired for the applicant to be licensed as a foreign legal consultant underthis Chapter. (1995, c. 427, s. 1.)