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The Committee reviews the various policy and practical issues affecting global cross-border legal practice
With respect to "inbound" services, the Committee focuses on efforts to encourage the States of the United States to adopt the ABA Model Rule on the Licensing of Foreign Legal Consultants. Although the Conference of Chief Justices has now endorsed this principle, continued efforts with state bars and courts are required to assure universal adoption. In addition, alternative methods to facilitate the ability of foreign lawyers to offer and perform legal services in the United States are studied, including the prerequisites required of foreign lawyers to take U.S. state bar examinations and the mutual recognition of foreign qualification. The Committee also reviews the rights of foreign lawyers to enter and remain in the United States for both temporary and long term practice-related activities.
With respect to "outbound" services, the Committee studies ways in which foreign jurisdictions deal with United States lawyers who wish to offer and provide legal services in foreign countries.. It coordinates and cooperates with foreign bar entities, such as the Council of Bars and Law Societies of the European Union (CCBE) and the Australian Law Council, in considering ways in which U.S. lawyers may enter.foreign countries temporarily or for longer periods, be employed by or employ local lawyers in foreign countries or enter into partnership or other professional associations with such foreign lawyers. The Committee also interacts with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to seek appropriate commitments in the international agreements negotiated by the United States affecting cross-border legal services.
The Committee coordinates its work with the separate Section Committees for Foreign Legal Consultants (in the U.S.) and U.S. Lawyers Practicing Abroad, with the ABA-wide Task Force on International Trade in Legal Services and the ABA's Representative to the USTR/Secretary of Commerce Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Services. . The Committee is chaired by Peter Ehrenhaft in Washington, DC, and its Vice Chairs are Stephen Denyer in Frankfurt, Germany, Cliff Hendel in Madrid, Spain, Carole Silver in Chicago, IL and Laurel Terry in Carlisle, PA. The Committee's listserve currently includes 224 lawyers in the United States and abroad and welcomes the addition of any others interested in our activities.
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