Rule 207.14 - Registration FeeA. REGISTRATION FEE OF LICENSED LEGAL PARAPROFESSIONALS(1) General Provisions.(a) Fees. On or before February 28 of each year, every licensed legal paraprofessional (LLP) admitted to practice in Colorado must annually file a registration statement and pay a fee as set by the Colorado Supreme Court. As of 2024, the fees set by the court are as follows: the fee for active LLPs is $325.00; the fee of any LLP whose first admission to practice is within the preceding three years is $190.00; the fee for LLPs on inactive status is $130.00. All persons first becoming subject to this rule must file a statement required by this rule at the time of admission, but no annual fee shall be payable until the first day of January following such admission. The Supreme Court will authorize periodic increases to the annual fee for every Colorado LLP as necessary.(b) Collection of Fee. The annual fee will be collected by the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Colorado, who will send and receive the notices and statements provided for hereafter.(c) Application of Fees. The fee will be divided. Twenty dollars shall be used to maintain an Attorneys' Fund for Client Protection. The remaining portion of the fee, and the entire fee of those on inactive status, shall be used only to defray the costs of licensing and regulating LLPs within the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, as well as other functions within the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel (admissions, registration, mandatory continuing legal and judicial education, attorney diversion and discipline, unauthorized practice of law and inventory counsel functions), the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, the Colorado Lawyers Assistance Program, the Colorado Attorney Mentoring Program, the Advisory and other regulatory committees and any other practice of law function deemed appropriate by the Supreme Court.(2) Statement.(a) Contents. The annual registration statement must be on a form prescribed by the Clerk, setting forth: (1) date of admission as an LLP by the Colorado Supreme Court;(3) current residence and office addresses and, if applicable, a preferred mailing address for the Colorado Courts, along with current telephone numbers and email addresses;(4) certification as to (a) whether the LLP has been ordered to pay child support and, if so, whether the LLP is in compliance with any child support order, (b) whether the LLP or the LLP's law firm has established one or more interest-bearing accounts for client funds as provided in Colo. RPC 1.15B or Colo. LLP RPC 1.15B and if so, the name of the financial institution, account number and location of the financial institution, or, if not, the reason for the exemption, and (c) whether the LLP is currently covered by professional liability insurance and, if so, whether the LLP intends to maintain insurance during the time the LLP is engaged in the private practice of law; and(5) certification that the LLP agrees to confine the LLP's practice of law to all limitations set forth in applicable rules, statutes, and other law.(6) such other information as the Clerk may from time to time direct.(b) Notification of Change. Every LLP shall file a supplemental statement of change in the information previously submitted, including home and business addresses, within 28 days of such change. Such change shall include, without limitation, the lapse or termination of professional liability insurance without continuous coverage.(c) Availability of Information. The information provided by the LLP regarding professional liability insurance shall be available to the public through the Supreme Court Office of Attorney Registration and on the Supreme Court Office of Attorney Registration website.(3) Compliance.(a) Late Fee. Any LLP who pays the annual fee or files the annual registration statement after February 28 but on or before March 31 must pay a late fee of $50.00 in addition to the registration fee. Any LLP who pays the annual fee or files the annual registration statement after March 31 must pay a late fee of $150.00 for each such year, in addition to the registration fee.(b) Initial Pleading Must Contain Registration Number. Whenever an initial pleading is signed by an LLP, it shall also include thereon the LLP's registration number. Whenever an initial appearance is made in court without a written pleading, the LLP shall advise the court of the registration number. The number need not be on any subsequent pleadings.(4) Suspension.(a) Failure to Pay Fee or File Statement--Notice of Delinquency. An LLP will be summarily suspended if the LLP either fails to pay the fee or fails to file a complete statement or supplement thereto as required by this rule prior to May 1, provided a notice of delinquency has been issued by the Clerk and mailed to the LLP addressed to the LLP's last known mailing address at least 28 days prior to such suspension, unless an excuse has been granted on grounds of financial hardship. Orders suspending an LLP for failure to comply with rules governing LLP registration take effect on entry of the order, unless otherwise ordered.(b) Duties to Notify Clients and Duties in Litigation Matters. An LLP who has been suspended under the rules governing LLP registration need not comply with the requirements of C.R.C.P. 242.32(c) or C.R.C.P. 242.32(d) if the LLP has sought reinstatement under the rules governing LLP registration and reasonably believes that reinstatement will occur within 14 days of the date of the order of suspension. If the LLP is not reinstated within those 14 days, then the LLP must comply with the requirements of C.R.C.P. 242.32(c) and C.R.C.P. 242.32(d).(5) Reinstatement.(a) Application--Reinstatement Fee. Any LLP suspended under the provisions of section (4)(a) above will not be reinstated until application for reinstatement is made in writing and the Clerk acts favorably on the application. Each application for reinstatement shall be accompanied by a reinstatement fee of $100.00 and payment of all arrearages and late fees to the date of the request for reinstatement.(6) Inactive Status.(a) Notice. An LLP who has retired or is not engaged in practice shall file a notice in writing with the Clerk that they desire to transfer to inactive status and discontinue the practice of law.(b) Payment of Fee--Filing of Statement. Upon the filing of the notice to transfer to inactive status, the LLP shall no longer be eligible to practice law but shall continue to pay the fee required under section (1)(a) above and file the statements and supplements thereto required by this rule on an annual basis.(c) Exemption--Age 65. Any registered inactive LLP over the age of 65 is exempt from payment of the annual fee.(7) Transfer to Active Status. Upon the filing of a notice to transfer to inactive status and payment of the fee required under section (1)(a) above and any arrearages, if owed, an LLP will be removed from the roll of those classified as active until and unless a request for transfer to active status is made and granted. Transfer to active status will be granted, unless the LLP is subject to an outstanding order of suspension or disbarment, upon the payment of any assessment in effect for the year the request is made and any accumulated arrearages for non-payment of inactive fees.(8) Resignation.(a) Criteria. The supreme court may permit an LLP to resign from the practice of law in Colorado. The Regulation Counsel must inform the supreme court whether any disciplinary or disability matter involving the LLP should preclude the LLP's resignation and whether any precomplaint proceeding pending against the LLP under C.R.C.P. 242 should be dismissed. An LLP may not resign if a complaint under C.R.C.P. 242.25 is pending against the LLP.(b) Procedure. An LLP who wishes to resign must request permission of the supreme court under this section by submitting a request to the Office of Attorney Registration, and must tender the LLP's certificate of admission along with a certification as to whether the LLP is subject to disciplinary proceedings in any other jurisdiction. A request to resign and an order of resignation are public information.(c) Effect. An LLP who has been permitted to resign:(1) Must comply with the duties listed in C.R.C.P. 242.32;(2) Is excused from paying the annual registration fee;(3) Is not eligible for reinstatement or transfer to active or inactive status and may be admitted to the practice of law in Colorado only by complying with the rules governing admission to the practice of law;(4) May not hold themself out as a Colorado LLP; and(5) Remains subject to the supreme court's jurisdiction as set forth in C.R.C.P. 242.1(a) as to the LLP's prior practice of law in Colorado.Adopted by the Court, En Banc, March 23, 2023, effective 7/1/2023.COMMENT
The Supreme Court sets the annual registration fee for LLPs to be used for the purposes set forth in the rule. Those fees, together with other fees collected through the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, will help defray the cost of admitting, registering and regulating LLPs.