Rule 14-807 of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar allows law students to participate in matters before Utah courts.
The Utah student practice rules do not allow law school graduates who have not taken and passed the bar exam or who have not been sworn in by the Utah Supreme Court to appear in judicial proceedings, which includes depositions. Graduates also cannot be added to the firm letterhead or affix “attorney at law” after their names.
Subject to the judge’s inherent power to control the proceedings and appearances, law students may appear under the following limitations:
- The student’s participation is limited to civil and misdemeanor cases.
- The student has completed legal studies amounting to at least four semesters (or the equivalent).
- The student’s participation is under the direct and immediate personal supervision and in the presence of a resident attorney admitted to practice law before the court. The supervising attorney’s presence is not required at default divorce proceedings that are not contested and where the appearing party is represented by a non-profit public service legal agency.
- The student’s participation is agreed to by written stipulation of counsel for all parties to the action and filed in the case file.
- The student does not receive any compensation or remuneration of any kind from the client.