In-House Interrogatory

Asked: Our weekly question to the In-House community

The state of Washington is pondering new rules for in-house counsel.

The proposal would require in-house counsel to register with the state bar, even if they are already bar members in other states.

The Association of Corporate Counsel is taking issue with the proposal, arguing it is just a way to collect more money in extra registration fees and there is no evidence of in-house counsel ethics problems in the state.

The organization also argues that if a company hires general counsels from out of state without state supervision and if the attorney does not perform, the company simply can fire that person.

The proposed rule permits lawyers from other states to waive into Washington state’s bar but would require in-house lawyers to pass the part of the bar exam devoted to Washington law.

So here’s our question for you:

Should in-house counsel who are bar members in other states have to register with another state bar when they move to a new company?

Leave a comment below or email me.

Need to Know:

• Twitter’s legal director will be the White House’s first chief privacy officer.
• The former general counsel of Northwest Airlines and the Minnesota Twins was named Delta’s chief legal officer.
• The University of Minnesota announced an interim general counsel after Mark Rotenberg announced he is leaving for The Johns Hopkins University this summer.
• A North Carolina representative is resigning for a general counsel post at a mass transit agency.
• Nokia Siemens appointed a new general counsel.
• Alliance Pipeline named a new general counsel.
• A look at women as general counsels and executives.

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