Rule 205

Admission of Foreign Attorneys and Graduates of Foreign Institutions

(a)  General Rule.  The Board, under such standards, rules and procedures as it may prescribe, may extend the provisions of Rule 203 (relating to the admission of graduates of accredited and unaccredited institutions) to any applicant who has completed the study of law in a law school which at the time of such completion was not located within the geographical area encompassed by the accreditation activities of the American Bar Association and: 

(1)  who has been admitted to practice law in and is in good standing at the bar of a foreign country, as evidenced by a certificate from the highest court or agency of such foreign country having jurisdiction over admission to the bar and the practice of law and 

(2)  who has for a period of five years of the last eight years immediately preceding the date of filing of the application for admission to the bar of this Commonwealth engaged in the practice of law in such foreign country.  For purposes of this paragraph, the phrase "engaged in the practice of law" is defined as "devoting a major portion of one's time and energy to the rendering of legal services." 

(b)  Law Study Required.  Unless otherwise provided by the Board, applicants who meet the provisions of subparagraph (a) of this rule may apply to sit for the Pennsylvania Bar Examination provided they have successfully completed 30 credit hours in an accredited American law school in the following subjects: Conflict of Laws; Constitutional Law; Contracts; Corporations; Criminal Law; Decedents' Estates; Evidence; Family Law; Federal and/or Pennsylvania Civil Procedure; Federal Income Taxes (personal only); Professional Responsibility; Real Property; Torts; Uniform Commercial Code, Art. II - Sales; Uniform Commercial Code, Art. III - Commercial Paper; Uniform Commercial Code, Art. IX - Secured Transactions.  No more than 4 credit hours in any one subject shall be counted toward this requirement.  In fulfilling this requirement, applicants must successfully complete up to 4 credits in each of the following subjects: Constitutional Law; Contracts; Criminal Law; Decedents' Estates; Evidence; Federal and/or Pennsylvania Civil Procedure; Professional Responsibility; Real Property; and Torts.