Practice Before the Commission

PURPOSE: This rule sets forth who may practice as an attorney before the commission. (1) The staff counsel represents the commission staff in investigations, contested cases, and other proceedings before the commission. (2) The public counsel represents the interests of the public before the commission. (3) Attorneys who wish to practice before the commission shall fully comply with its rules and also comply with one (1) of the following criteria: (A) An attorney who is licensed to practice law in the state of Missouri, and in good standing, may practice before the commission; (B) A nonresident attorney who is a member of the Missouri Bar in good standing, but who does not maintain an office for the practice of law within the state of Missouri, may appear as in the case of a resident attorney; (C) Any attorney who is not a member of the Missouri Bar, but who is a member in good standing of the bar of any court of record, may petition the commission for leave to be permitted to appear and participate in a particular case under all of the following conditions: 1. The visiting attorney shall file in a separate pleading a statement identifying each court of which that attorney is a member and certifying that neither the visiting attorney nor any member of the attorney’s firm is disqualified to appear in any of these courts; 2. The statement shall designate some member in good standing of the Missouri Bar having an office within Missouri as associate counsel; 3. The designated Missouri attorney shall simultaneously enter an appearance as an attorney of record; and 4. The visiting attorney shall provide a receipt or a statement showing that he or she has complied with the requirement of Missouri Supreme Court Rule 6.01(m). (4) An eligible law student certified under Missouri Supreme Court Rule 13 may appear before the commission as an attorney. The student must comply with any applicable rules or statutes. (5) Practice by Nonattorneys. A natural person may represent himself or herself. Such practice is strictly limited to the appearance of a natural person on his or her own behalf and shall not be made for any other person or entity. (6) After an attorney has entered an appearance for any party, the attorney may withdraw only by leave of the commission. AUTHORITY: section 386.410, RSMo 2000.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 240-2.040. Original rule filed Dec. 19, 1975, effective Dec. 29, 1975. Amended: Filed Nov. 7, 1984, effective June 15, 1985. Rescinded and readopted: Filed March 10, 1995, effective Nov. 30, 1995. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Aug. 24, 1999, effective April 30, 2000. Amended: Filed March 2, 2011, effective Oct. 30, 2011. Moved to 20 CSR 4240-2.040, effective Aug. 28, 2019. *Original authority: 386.410, RSMo 1939, amended 1947, 1977, 1996. Smith v. Public Service Commission, 336 S.W.2d 491 (Mo. 1960). Commission Rule 12.07 allowing individual party before commission held not to authorize non-lawyer individual to act as attorney for twenty-five other individuals. See also Reed v. Labor and Industrial Relations, 789 S.W.2d 19 (Mo. banc 1990) and Clark v. Austin, 340 Mo. 647, 101 S.W.2d 977 (Mo. 1937).