Admission to practice is governed by the Rules of the United States Court of International Trade. Rule 74 provides that an attorney of good moral character who has been admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the highest court of any state, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession, any United States Court of Appeals, or any United States District Court, and is in good standing therein may be admitted to practice before this Court.

Rule 74 also provides two alternate methods of application to practice:

By Oral Motion: An attorney may be admitted by completing Parts I and II of the Application for Admission to Practice (Form 10) and by appearing personally before a judge of this Court with a sponsor, who is a member of the bar of this Court or the Supreme Court of the United States, who will sign the application, state the applicant’s qualifications and move the admission. In addition, if the sponsoring attorney has known the applicant for less than one year, the applicant must include a certificate of a judge or a clerk of any of the courts specified in Rule 74(a), which was issued no earlier than 90 days prior to the date of the application and which must state that the applicant is a member in good standing of the bar of that court.

By Certificate: An attorney may be admitted, without appearing personally, by completing Part I of the “Application for Admission to Practice” form and by filing an original certificate, signed by a judge or the clerk of any of the courts mentioned in the first paragraph of this notice, stating that the applicant is a member in good standing of the bar of that Court. The certificate cannot be dated more than 90 days prior to the date of its submission. (A certificate from a bar association is unacceptable).

Fees: When the motion for admission is made or the application by certificate is filed, the applicant must submit the properly completed and signed “Application for Admission to Practice (Form 10), together with the admission fee of $50. Payment in the form of cash, a check or money order drawn from a U.S. bank should be made payable to: Clerk, U.S. Court of International Trade, One Federal Plaza, Rm 299, New York, NY.

Renewal: On January 1, 2009, the United States Court of International Trade amended its Rules pertaining to the admission of practice of attorneys. USCIT Rule 74(e)(1) requires that each member of the bar of this Court renew his or her membership every five years by filing with the Clerk of the Court, on or before June 1st of every fifth year, a renewal registration and by paying a renewal fee in the amount of $50.00. Law firms or other entities may remit a combined payment for multiple renewal registration fees with one check or money order. In such circumstances, a completed Attorney Renewal Registration Form for each attorney covered must be submitted along with the payment.

Notification of the renewal requirement and the Attorney Renewal Registration Form are e-mailed to the last known address of all admitted attorneys prior to the renewal date. Attorneys who do not renew will not be able to practice or file pleadings in the United States Court of International Trade.

If you require additional information, please call the Court’s Attorney Admissions Office at (212) 264-2812.

Tina Potuto Kimble
Clerk of the Court