The court, in its discretion, may grant without examination a license to practice as legal counsel in this state to an alien who is at least 26 years of age and who meets the following characteristics:

• That person has been a lawyer in the foreign state for at least five years immediately preceding the application;
• He or she is of good moral character and meets the general fitness requirements for membership in a state bar association;
• intends to practice law in this state as legal counsel and has an office in this state for that purpose.

In support of the above circumstances, the applicant must provide the clerk of the court with the following documents:

• A certificate issued by a professional organization or governmental agency in a foreign state that is the ultimate authority on matters of professional discipline, certifying that the applicant is admitted to practice, with the date of admission, and certifying the validity of his or her status as a lawyer;
• a letter of recommendation from a member of the executive body of such professional organization or public institution or from a judge of a superior court or court of first instance of such foreign country;
• a duly certified English translation of such certificate and such letter;
• other documents attesting to the applicant’s education and professional qualifications, moral qualities and general fitness, birth certificate.

Subject to certain limitations, a person licensed to practice as a legal consultant shall be deemed to be an attorney of record with the State Bar Association and shall have all the rights and obligations incident thereto: the rights and obligations of a member of the State Bar Association to work in the same law firm with one or more members of the State Bar Association, including through any partnership and, perhaps most importantly, confidentiality of the client relationship and related documentation and similar privileges.

A person licensed to practice as legal counsel under said provisions shall be subject to professional discipline in the same manner and to the same extent as members of the bar association of this state; including the obligation to furnish to the court an undertaking or proper evidence of professional liability insurance in such amount as the court shall determine.

An applicant seeking a license to practice as a legal counsel shall be required to pay a license fee.

In the event a person licensed to practice as legal counsel under these provisions is subsequently admitted as a member of the bar association of this state, the legal counsel license issued to such person shall be deemed revoked by the patent issued to such person for the right to practice law as a member of the bar association of this state.