Application for Certification to Practice Pending Admission

If an applicant is located in Ohio and providing legal services pertaining to another jurisdiction, a PPA application may not be necessary.  If the legal services are based solely on the laws of another jurisdiction, Prof. R. Cond. 5.5 allows for remote practice of another jurisdictions’ laws within Ohio. If you have questions as to whether your specific situation would require a PPA application, please contact our office to discuss your application.

An applicant must submit the complete application for Practice Pending Admission within 90 days of providing Ohio legal services. An applicant who fails to timely submit their application must petition the Office of Bar Admissions to accept their late filing, and request permission to practice. Petitions should be accompanied by a $30 petition fee, payable by credit card in the Bar Admissions Portal.

Considerable discretion is given to the applicant and his/her associating attorney in determining what the relationship requires. Both attorneys should consider the duties, demands, and requirements of the Ohio legal work being undertaken, with paramount importance being placed on accountability to the client. For further definitional guidance, please refer to the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct and Gov. Bar R. XII, which governs pro hac vice admission in Ohio.

No more than 365 days from the acceptance of the application to practice pending admission, unless that time period is extended by the Office of Bar Admissions upon receipt and consideration of a petition from the applicant. The fee for a petition to waive a rule provision is $30.

Applicants granted PPA are permitted to practice Ohio law to the same extent as an attorney that is admitted to the Ohio bar. Once a PPA certificate is issued, the applicant will receive a temporary attorney registration number, and they will appear in the publicly accessible Attorney Directory with a status of “Not Required – Practice Pending Admission.”

While Gov. Bar R. I, Section 19, does not require someone holding PPA certification to include a disclaimer stating that their practice is permitted pursuant to PPA, it is important to remember that they also must comply with the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. As a result, many applicants include a notation in their email signatures, firm biographies, and/or pleadings.

Upon acceptance of a PPA application, the applicant will be issued an Ohio attorney registration number and will be designated as “Practice Pending Admission” in the Attorney Directory maintained by the Office of Attorney Services. Applicants practicing under PPA are not required to complete attorney registration requirements or continuing legal education (“CLE”). Any CLE activity taken prior to full admission to the practice of law in Ohio cannot be applied towards any future CLE requirements.

If an applicant becomes subject to criminal charges, a disciplinary investigation, or sanction in any jurisdiction at any time during the PPA period, the applicant must notify both the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the Office of Bar Admissions.

Yes. PPA immediately terminates upon: (1) the expiration of the 365 day period, unless a petition to extend has been granted; (2) the withdrawal of the applicant’s application for admission; (3) the applicant’s application for admission is disapproved (Admission Without Examination, UBE Transfer, or Bar Examination Application); (4) the applicant fails the bar examination; (5) the applicant fails to remain associated with an active Ohio attorney in good standing; (6) the applicant is disbarred, suspended, or has resigned from the practice of law with disciplinary action pending in any jurisdiction in which the applicant is authorized to practice; and/or (7) the applicant fails to perform the aforementioned reporting duties.

Applications for PPA must be reviewed by staff prior to issuance of the certificate. If any additional information is needed, we will reach out to you. Please anticipate that the review will take approximately two weeks. Once the review is complete and there are no outstanding issues, your certificate will be issued and uploaded to your Bar Admissions Portal.