Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court designated a special 13-member board on October 9 to study professional reciprocity for Puerto Rican lawyers in other jurisdictions, a resolution that drew the opposition of the chief justice and of Judge Colón. The designation responds to a request from the Legislative Assembly, which asked the court to examine the matter urgently.
Commentator Luis Dávila Colón, analyzing the resolution Tuesday on En la Mirilla by NotiUno 630, called it good news for lawyers, noting they are among the few professions without reciprocity and cannot practice outside Puerto Rico without revalidating in another state. He warned the process will take a year, not counting extensions, before a final product exists.
Reciprocity existed on the island until 1973, when the bar association and the Popular Party eliminated it under old Rule 13. Dávila Colón said the new committee already has a serious problem because it is loaded with legal scholars who want to keep the shop closed, referring to the law school deans and the Bar Association on the panel.
Associate Justice Candelario López issued a separate opinion stating that regulating admission to the practice of law, including administrative and public law, is an inherent and exclusive function of the Judicial Branch, a text joined by the other justices appointed by the New Progressive Party. Dávila Colón criticized the resolution as too broad and questioned whether the committee will meet its deadline.