H 3275 South Carolina House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Requirements for practicing law

Summary
A BILL TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY AMENDING SECTION 40-5-20, RELATING TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE SUPREME COURT TO PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE PRACTICE OF LAW AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE SUPREME COURT MAY PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS DEFINING AND REGULATING THE PRACTICE OF LAW SUBJECT TO STATUTORY LAW AND DETERMINING THE QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE PRACTICE OF LAW AND THE LICENSURE OF ATTORNEYS IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PROVISION OF LAW OR RULE THAT REQUIRES AN ATTORNEY TO BE A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR IS SUPERSEDED AND OF NO FORCE AND EFFECT, AND TO DELETE INCONSISTENT PROVISIONS RELATED TO THE BAR; AND BY AMENDING SECTION 40-5-310, RELATING TO PRACTICING LAW OR SOLICITING THE LEGAL CAUSE OF ANOTHER WITHOUT BEING ENROLLED AS A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT NO PERSON MAY PRACTICE LAW UNLESS HE IS LICENSED BY THE SUPREME COURT, AND TO DELETE THE REQUIREMENT THAT A PERSON BE A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA BAR.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 14, 2025 Last action Jan 14, 2025
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
Jan 14, 2025
Introduced
Introduced and read first time
lower
Dec 5, 2024
Committee
Referred to Committee on Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Todd Rutherford
Todd Rutherford
DDemocratic
SC
74