Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Board Helping to Secure Equal Access to Justice
Frequently Asked Questions
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These questions and answers pertain primarily to the filing of the payment form and payment of the required pro hac vice admission fee to the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board. Other requirements for the motion that must be filed in the Court before which you are seeking pro hac vice admission are contained at Pennsylvania Rule of Bar Admissions 301 and Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1012.1.
First, the candidate for pro hac vice admission must complete and submit the payment form and pay the required $375.00 admission fee per case to the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board. The form should be completed and submitted online at www.paiolta.org/pro-hac-vice/.
Second, the candidate’s Pennsylvania admitted sponsor must file a written motion for the candidate’s admission pro hac vice in the action with the verified statements and other information required by Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1012.1, with the Court before which pro hac vice admission is sought.
The new requirement is effective September 4, 2007, pursuant to Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Order No. 62 Disciplinary Rules Docket No. 1, dated June 29, 2007. The fee was increased to $200 by Order of the Court effective September 25, 2010. Effective November 29, 2013, the pro hac vice regulations are applicable at the Magisterial District Courts and Philadelphia Municipal Court (excluding Traffic Division) by Order of the Court. Effective June 12, 2015, the fee was increased to $375 by Order of the Court.
The pro hac vice admission fee must be paid by check, money order, or bank cashier’s check made payable to the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board. After the admission form is submitted online, a voucher will be generated. This voucher must be printed and mailed with the payment. The fee may be paid online by credit card. However, a convenience fee of $2.75 will be added to the total. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover credit cards.
Yes, as referenced in Pa.RCP 1012.1(b) and 204 Pa. Code 81.503(d) admission pro hac vice requires an attorney admitted to the Pennsylvania bar to sponsor the candidate seeking pro hac vice admission.
Yes, because a Pennsylvania attorney who does not have an active law license is not authorized to practice law in Pennsylvania.
Yes, if the motion for pro hac vice admission is filed on or after the September 4, 2007 effective date.
No. The rule does not apply to administrative agency proceedings, cases in federal courts located in Pennsylvania, or situations not involving the entry of an appearance before a Pennsylvania court.
The payment form and admission fee are required if the attorney not licensed in Pennsylvania must enter an appearance in a Pennsylvania Court.
No. An attorney not licensed in Pennsylvania must submit a separate payment form and admission fee for each case in which the attorney is seeking to appear pro hac vice. See 204 Pa. Code 81.505(a).
Yes. However, all vouchers should be submitted together with the payment in the appropriate total fee amount.
No. Admission pro hac vice requires a separate payment form and admission fee per attorney, per case. See 204 Pa. Code 81.505(a).
a. failure to provide all information required;
b. failure to answer all questions; and
c. failure to pay the required fee.
No. The payment form and admission fee covers the attorney for that case until a final determination of the case including appellate review, is made, or until issuance of an order permitting the attorney to withdraw from the case.
The Board will process the form and payment within three (3) business days of receipt of a completed payment form and admission fee. Same day processing is not available. The Acknowledgement Letter will be transmitted via fax or email, whichever method is selected on the form, to the applicant attorney’s designated contact person and the sponsoring attorney. The Acknowledgement Letter will serve as your proof of payment of the requisite fee and can be included with your written motion to the Court in Pennsylvania in which you are requesting permission to participate. If you do not receive an Acknowledgement Letter within three (3) business days, please contact the Board’s office.
Yes, the same regulations apply to all attorneys without regard to the attorney’s employer.
This is not advised. The payment form and admission fee are to be filed in the Board’s office as a first step. The Board will process the payment and send an Acknowledgement Letter for the specific case listed on the application. The Acknowledgment Letter can accompany a written motion for pro hac vice admission, and will inform the Court that you have paid the fee. However, 204 Pa. Code 51.505(b) permits the candidate to submit the payment form and pay the required admission fee no later than the date of the filing of the motion requesting pro hac vice admission in a case proceeding in a Pennsylvania Court, and to aver that payment has been made (see 204 Pa. Code 51.503(e)).
Effective November 29, 2013, it is necessary to submit the form and pay the fee in order to appear before a magisterial district court or Philadelphia Municipal Court (except for Traffic Division), as defined in applicable regulations.
The admission fee cannot be waived. However, no admission fee is required for the representation of a client who has been granted in forma pauperis status.
Pro hac vice admission fees received by the Board are used to fund the IOLTA Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) which benefits attorneys employed by IOLTA-funded legal services organizations.
The specific Pennsylvania court before which the attorney seeks to appear pro hac vice must determine whether the candidate will be admitted. The motion for pro hac vice can be denied for good cause. See Pa. RCP 1012.1(e).
No. The admission fee will not be refunded if the case is dismissed, nor will an admission fee be refunded if you withdraw your motion seeking pro hac vice admission, or do not meet all requirements for admission.
If your check is not paid because of insufficient funds, or is otherwise dishonored by your bank, you will be notified by the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board and be assessed a $25 returned check charge plus any charge for a returned deposited item assessed to the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board by its financial institution, if any. Payment of the admission fee and returned check charge(s) must be made by bank cashier’s check or money order and received by the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board within seven business days of the Pennsylvania IOLTA Board’s notice of the returned check. If the full payment is not timely made, the Court before which the attorney seeks pro hac vice admission will be so notified.