Western District of New York (W.D.N.Y.)
Common questions
Who can be admitted to the bar of the Western District of New York (W.D.N.Y.)?
Member in good standing of the bar of the USDC for S.D., E.D. or N.D.N.Y.; OR admitted to practice before New York State courts; OR member in good standing of any USDC AND of the bar of the State where that court sits (Local Rule 83.1). Rule: Local Rule 83.1.
What is the admission fee for the Western District of New York (W.D.N.Y.)?
$250.00 (eff. 12/1/2023). Payment: pay at Clerk's Office on day of admission by personal check, firm check or money order made payable to “Clerk, U.S. District Court.”; cash and credit cards not accepted.
Does the Western District of New York (W.D.N.Y.) allow pro hac vice admission, and what does it cost?
Pro hac vice available: yes (fee listed). Local counsel: Pro hac vice attorneys who do not maintain an office in this District must obtain local counsel. Fee: $200.00.
General admission
- Who qualifies
- Member in good standing of the bar of the USDC for S.D., E.D. or N.D.N.Y.; OR admitted to practice before New York State courts; OR member in good standing of any USDC AND of the bar of the State where that court sits (Local Rule 83.1)
- Rule
- Local Rule 83.1
- Sponsor
- Admission Sponsor Form required; in-person appearance mandatory for permanent admission
- Good standing cert.
- Request by letter + fee + SASE to either Clerk's Office
- Oath
- Attorney Oath Form + Civility Principles (eff. 1/1/2018) in admission package
- Swearing-in
- appear in person before a Judge
- Certificate age
- dated no earlier than six (6) months prior to submission
- Fee
- $250.00 (eff. 12/1/2023)
- Fee payment
- pay at Clerk's Office on day of admission by personal check, firm check or money order made payable to “Clerk, U.S. District Court.”; cash and credit cards not accepted
- Apply
- nywd.uscourts.gov
1 not found in the pulled documents
- Exam or course
- Not in the pulled documents
Pro hac vice
- Available
- yes (fee listed)
- Who qualifies
- An attorney not eligible for permanent admission, or though eligible does not wish to become a permanent Member of the bar
- Rule
- Loc. R. Civ. P. 83.1(d)
- Local counsel
- Pro hac vice attorneys who do not maintain an office in this District must obtain local counsel
- Residency limits
- Local counsel must be a Member of the bar who maintains an office in the District; PHV attorney without District office must obtain local counsel
- Fee
- $200.00
- Fee covers
- must be filed on each individual case
- E-filing
- Attorney Database & ECF Registration Form in admission package
3 not found in the pulled documents
- Limits
- Not in the pulled documents
- Certifications
- Not in the pulled documents
- Form
- Not in the pulled documents
Ongoing and other
- Renewal
- Biennial fee ($50 local/$75 out-of-jurisdiction) described as 'if enacted'; 2020 notice says not before 1/1/2021; status NOT FOUND
- Bankruptcy court
- Only attorneys admitted to practice in this District may practice in bankruptcy matters
- Rules dated
- January 15, 2026
2 not found in the pulled documents
- CLE or course
- Not in the pulled documents
- Pending changes
- Not in the pulled documents
Checked against the rule text
(Local Rule 83.1 (2025 rules)): "83.1 ATTORNEY ADMISSION TO PRACTICE To be eligible for permanent admission to practice in this Court as a “Member of the bar of this Court”, an attorney must either: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern, or Northern Districts of New York; (b) be admitted to practice before the courts of New York State; or (c) be a member in good standing of any United States District Court and of the bar of the State in which the District Court is located. In addi..." Source: https://www.nywd.uscourts.gov/sites/nywd/files/2025%20Local%20Rules%20of%20Civil%20Procedure%20FINAL%20-%20v3-1.pdf
Language from the source documents
18 quoted passages
Who qualifies
To be eligible for permanent admission to practice in this Court as a “Member of the bar of this Court”, an attorney must either:nywd.uscourts.gov
Reciprocity routes
a Certificate of Good Standing from the Clerk of Court of which he or she is a member (dated no earlier than six (6) months prior to submission to this Court)nywd.uscourts.gov
Sponsor
On the day of admission, the attorney seeking admission shall be accompanied by a Member of the bar of this Court, who need not be the sponsoring attorney, to move for the petitioning attorney’s admission.nywd.uscourts.gov
Oath
all attorneys seeking permanent admission to practice in this Court must appear in person before a Judge of this Court to be admitted.nywd.uscourts.gov
Admission fee
Effective December 1, 2023 the U.S. District Court will charge $250.00 for a standard attorney admission.nywd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice available
may be admitted pro hac vice to participate in a particular matter in which they are engaged.nywd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice: who qualifies
An attorney who is not eligible for permanent admission under the foregoing provisions, or an attorney who, though eligible, does not wish to become a permanent Member of the bar of this Court,nywd.uscourts.gov
Local counsel
Pro hac vice attorneys who do not maintain an office in this District must obtain local counsel.nywd.uscourts.gov
Residency limits
“Local counsel” under these Local Rules is defined as a Member of the bar of this Court who maintains an office in this District, with whom the Court and opposing counsel may readily meetnywd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice fee
The pro hac vice admission remains at the February 1, 2020 amount of $200.00.nywd.uscourts.gov
Fee payment
The fee is payable by personal check, firm check or money [page 4] Updated March 30, 2026 order and made payable to “Clerk, U.S. District Court.” Cash and credit cards are not accepted.nywd.uscourts.gov
Certificate age limit
Certificate of Good Standing from the Clerk of Court of which he or she is a member (dated no earlier than six (6) months prior to submission to this Court)nywd.uscourts.gov
Application link
See Attorney Admission Procedures available at http://www.nywd.uscourts.gov for scheduling details.nywd.uscourts.gov
Pro hac vice fee covers
If an attorney wishes to appear on multiple cases via pro hac vice admission, the motion, payment, and forms must be filed on each individual case.nywd.uscourts.gov
Bankruptcy court admission
Only attorneys admitted to practice in this District under subparagraphs (a)-(d) of this Rule may practice in bankruptcy matters before the District Judges or the Bankruptcy Judges of this District.nywd.uscourts.gov
Admission route
To be eligible for permanent admission to practice in this Court as a “Member of the bar of this Court”, an attorney must either: (a) be a member in good standing of the bar of the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern, or Northern Districts of New York; (b) be admitted to practice before the courts of New York State; or (c) be a member in good standing of any United States District Court and of the bar of the State in which the District Court is located.nywd.uscourts.gov