New Jersey pro hac vice admission lets an out-of-state attorney appear in a specific New Jersey case under Court Rule 1:21-2, after a formal motion filed by New Jersey local counsel and payment of the annual $267 assessment to the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection. Federal cases in the District of New Jersey use a parallel process under Local Rule 101.1(c) and add a $250 admission fee. You cannot appear, sign filings, or argue in court until a judge signs the order granting your admission.
Who Qualifies
You must be a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court in the state where you live or primarily practice. You cannot have disciplinary proceedings pending in any jurisdiction, and any prior discipline has to be disclosed in full. Holding a New Jersey license but being disqualified from practice here closes the pro hac vice route as well; it is not a workaround for suspension or ineligibility.
You also need a sponsor. A New Jersey attorney authorized to practice under Rule 1:21-1 must associate in the matter and serve as attorney of record for the duration. There is no substitute for this. Attorneys employed by and representing the United States government or a sister state are exempt from several ongoing compliance obligations, but they still need the court’s permission to appear.
The Good Cause Standard Depends on the Case Type
Criminal and civil motions are judged differently, and this trips people up. In criminal matters, the court must grant the motion unless there is a specific reason tied to judicial administration for denying it. A defendant’s choice of counsel carries constitutional weight, and judges lean toward admission.
Civil matters are harder. The court grants the motion only on a showing of “good cause,” which means something more than convenience. A long-standing attorney-client relationship that predates the New Jersey litigation helps. So does specialized expertise in a narrow area of law that is central to the dispute. Being an experienced lawyer who happens to be licensed elsewhere is not enough on its own. A thin motion with no explanation of why this particular attorney is needed will be denied.
What Goes in the Motion
The New Jersey local attorney files the motion, not the out-of-state applicant, and it must be served on every other party so opposing counsel has a chance to object. The core of the motion is an affidavit or certification from the out-of-state attorney addressing four points:
- Good standing in the bar of the highest court where you are domiciled or primarily practice.
- Association with a New Jersey attorney of record qualified under Rule 1:21-1.
- A specific request from the client that you represent them in the matter.
- Disciplinary history: whether any proceedings are pending, and whether discipline has ever been imposed. If either applies, disclose the jurisdiction, the charges, the nature of the violation, and the penalty. Omitting a past disciplinary action is a fast route to denial and possible sanctions.
You also need a current Certificate of Good Standing from the highest court or bar authority in your home jurisdiction. The New Jersey Courts’ pro hac vice form, CN 13270, asks for your full contact information, date of birth, the jurisdiction and year of your first bar admission, and the same details for your sponsoring New Jersey attorney.1New Jersey Courts. Pro Hac Vice Admission in New Jersey Fill it out accurately. Administrative defects force the judge to request supplemental filings and delay the case.
Filing in State Court
Local counsel files the motion in the court where the case is pending, typically the Superior Court, through the electronic filing system. Once the motion and supporting documents are submitted and served, the presiding judge reviews the application. If the order is granted, the clerk enters it into the record. Get a signed copy of that order before you participate in any hearing or sign any legal document. You will also need it when you pay your annual assessment to the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection.
Federal Court: The District of New Jersey
Federal practice uses a parallel but separate process. Pro hac vice admission in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey is governed by Local Rule 101.1(c), not by Rule 1:21-2. The motion is filed through CM/ECF by a member of the District of New Jersey bar.2United States District Court. Pro Hac Vice
On admission, you pay a $250 federal court fee for each admission, by check or money order to the Clerk of the U.S. District Court, by phone, or through CM/ECF. The court’s order will also require payment of the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection assessment, the same one collected in state court.2United States District Court. Pro Hac Vice
Local counsel duties are heavier in federal court. Under Local Civil Rule 101.1(c)(4), local counsel must file all papers, enter appearances for the parties, sign stipulations, and sign or receive payments on judgments and orders. Pro hac vice attorneys can request electronic filing notifications, but local counsel signs the documents. Motions to waive these responsibilities are routinely denied absent genuine hardship.
The Annual Assessment: $267 for 2026
The 2026 assessment is $267, paid to the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection.3New Jersey Courts. New Jersey Attorney Electronic Registration and Payment for 2026 It is not prorated. If your admission is entered in November, you owe the full $267 for that calendar year. If the case runs into the next year, you owe it again.1New Jersey Courts. Pro Hac Vice Admission in New Jersey
One point in your favor: if you are admitted pro hac vice on additional New Jersey cases in the same calendar year, log into your account and update the case list. You do not pay again. The assessment is once per attorney per calendar year, not per case.1New Jersey Courts. Pro Hac Vice Admission in New Jersey
Missing a payment has real consequences. Nonpayment can put you on the Supreme Court’s Ineligible to Practice Law List, which revokes your ability to participate in the case immediately and can expose your local counsel to sanctions.
IOLTA Registration if You Handle Client Funds
If your work in the New Jersey matter involves handling client funds, Rule 1:28A requires participation in the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts program. Trust accounts must be registered annually with the IOLTA fund. For 2026, the registration window runs from January 20 through March 31 and is completed online.4New Jersey Courts. Notice – Attorney IOLTA Registration – Beginning January 20, 2026 If you do not maintain a trust account, you can update your exemption status through the same portal.
How Long the Admission Lasts
Your admission continues until the matter concludes, a formal substitution of counsel is filed, or you file a notice of withdrawal.1New Jersey Courts. Pro Hac Vice Admission in New Jersey It does not expire on a set date or at year-end. The annual assessment, however, renews for every calendar year the case stays open. A case that drags on means continuing payment obligations.
You also have a continuing duty to tell the court about any new disciplinary proceedings against you, or the resolution of existing ones, while you hold pro hac vice status. Failing to report is a separate ground for revocation.
What Local Counsel Actually Does
The sponsoring New Jersey attorney is the attorney of record and carries real responsibilities. They are expected to know New Jersey’s rules and customs and to bring the pro hac vice attorney up to speed. They are the court’s primary point of contact when scheduling issues or urgent matters come up, since an out-of-state attorney may be harder to reach quickly. And they act as a liaison, making sure communications between the court and the pro hac vice attorney do not fall through the cracks.5Legal Information Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 1:1-5.2 – Out-of-State Attorneys; Admission Procedures
Choose local counsel who actually practices in the court where your case is pending. An attorney with a New Jersey license but no experience before that judge or in that division defeats the point of the requirement.
What Happens if You Skip the Process
Practicing law in New Jersey without proper pro hac vice admission is a fourth-degree crime under N.J.S.A. 2C:21-22, punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. If you also create the false impression of being licensed, take a financial benefit, or cause injury, the charge escalates to a third-degree crime carrying three to five years and a $15,000 fine.
Civil exposure is separate. Someone harmed by the unauthorized practice can sue and recover the greater of $1,000 or three times all costs, including fees paid to the unauthorized practitioner, attorney fees to fix the problem, and court costs. The civil case uses a preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, and a criminal conviction on the same conduct automatically establishes civil liability. The paperwork and the $267 are cheap by comparison.