House Counsel

House counsel lawyers (also called in-house counsel or corporate counsel) provide legal services exclusively for a single employer or corporate group rather than to the public. Out-of-state lawyers often need guidance when an employer transfers them to a new state or opens an office where they are not admitted.

Most jurisdictions address employer-only practice in one of two ways:

• Separate registration or limited license — a formal application with the state bar, supreme court, or board of bar examiners (often with fees, good-standing certificates, and renewal).
• RPC 5.5(d)(1) safe harbor — no separate registration; the lawyer may provide employer services if licensed elsewhere and the work does not require pro hac vice admission (see also MJP).

Hawaii is an outlier with limited employer-practice authorization on an out-of-state license. House counsel paths do not replace admission on motion or the bar exam for general public practice.

Click a state on the map below for that jurisdiction’s house counsel rules and links to related MJP and pro hac vice pages.