All in-house counsel members working in the state that do not have a Tennessee law license must register with the Board of Law Examiners before July 1 or face discipline and a bar examination in order to continue practicing in Tennessee.
The July 1 deadline marks the end of an amnesty period granted by the Tennessee Supreme Court in January, when changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct and attorney licensing policies went into effect.
After July 1, in-house counsel starting work in Tennessee without a Tennessee license to practice law will have 180 days from the commencement of their work here to register with the Board. Any attorney who fails to register by the amnesty deadline or within 180 days of starting work here will face professional discipline in this jurisdiction, ineligibility for admission without examination, and referral by the Board of Law Examiners to the Board of Professional Responsibility and to the disciplinary authority of the jurisdictions of licensure.
The process for submitting an application to register as in-house counsel is completed online. For more details, visit www.tnble.org/news/house-counsel-registration-amnesty-expires-july-1-2016. Because of the high volume of applications, the approval process will take up to one month.
Source: Tennessee Board of Law Examiners