(a) A foreign legal consultant licensed under these rules shall not be a member of the Connecticut bar, provided, however, that a foreign legal consultant shall be considered an affiliate of the bar subject to the same conditions and requirements as are applicable to an active or inactive member of the bar under the court’s rules governing the bar of the state of Connecticut, insofar as such conditions and requirements may be consistent with the provisions of these rules.
Section 2-21.—Affiliation of Foreign Legal Consultant with the Bar of the State of Connecticut
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule makes clear a foreign legal consultant is not a Connecticut bar member but is treated as an affiliate of the bar under the same conditions as active or inactive members, and requires them to take a specific oath.
Full Text of Section 2-21
(b) A foreign legal consultant licensed under these rules shall, upon being so licensed, take the following oath before this court, unless granted permission to take the oath in absentia: ‘‘I, , do solemnly swear (or affirm) that as a foreign legal consultant with respect to the laws of , licensed by this court, I will conduct myself uprightly and according to the laws of the State of Connecticut and the rules of the court.’’
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 24F.)
Plain-English Summary
This section addresses a foreign legal consultant’s relationship to the Connecticut bar. They are not bar members, but they count as an affiliate of the bar, subject to the same conditions and requirements that apply to active or inactive bar members, as far as those requirements fit with the rules governing foreign legal consultants.
Once licensed, a foreign legal consultant must take an oath before the court — unless given permission to take it in absentia — swearing to conduct themselves uprightly under Connecticut law and the rules of the court with respect to the laws of their home country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a foreign legal consultant a member of the Connecticut bar?
No. The rule states a foreign legal consultant shall not be a member of the Connecticut bar, but is instead considered an affiliate of the bar.
What conditions apply to a foreign legal consultant as a bar affiliate?
The same conditions and requirements that apply to active or inactive Connecticut bar members, so far as those are consistent with the rules governing foreign legal consultants.
Does a foreign legal consultant have to take an oath?
Yes, unless the court grants permission to take the oath in absentia. The oath commits the consultant to conduct themselves uprightly under Connecticut law and court rules.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 2-21). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: foreign legal consultant bar affiliateforeign legal consultant oathis foreign legal consultant a CT attorneyforeign legal consultant membership status