Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-88 (2026)

Practice of law by persons not admitted as attorneys. Exceptions

✓ current as of May 2026

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(a) Unless a person is providing legal services pursuant to statute or rule of the Superior Court, a person who has not been admitted as an attorney under the provisions of section 51-80 or, having been admitted under section 51-80, has been disqualified from the practice of law due to resignation, disbarment, being placed on inactive status or suspension, shall not: (1) Practice law or appear as an attorney-at-law for another in any court of record in this state, (2) make it a business to practice law or appear as an attorney-at-law for another in any such court, (3) make it a business to solicit employment for an attorney-at-law, (4) hold himself or herself out to the public as being entitled to practice law, (5) assume to be an attorney-at-law, (6) assume, use or advertise the title of lawyer, attorney and counselor-at-law, attorney-at-law, counselor-at-law, attorney, counselor, attorney and counselor, or an equivalent term, in such manner as to convey the impression that he or she is a legal practitioner of law, (7) advertise that he or she, either alone or with others, owns, conducts or maintains a law office, or office or place of business of any kind for the practice of law, or (8) otherwise engage in the practice of law as defined by statute or rule of the Superior Court.

(b) (1) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a class D felony, except that in any prosecution under this section, if the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence that the defendant committed the proscribed act or acts while admitted to practice law before the highest court of original jurisdiction in any state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a territory of the United States or in a district court of the United States and while a member in good standing of such bar, such defendant shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. No person whose admission to practice law under the provisions of section 51-80, or whose admission or permission to practice law pursuant to any other statute or rule of the Superior Court has been suspended, solely on the basis of the failure to pay the occupational tax on attorneys imposed pursuant to section 51-81b or the client security fund fee assessed pursuant to section 51-81d shall be subject to prosecution under this section for engaging in the practice of law during the period of such suspension.

(2) The provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not apply to any employee in this state of a stock or nonstock corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity who, within the scope of his or her employment, renders legal advice to his or her employer or its corporate affiliate and who is admitted to practice law before the highest court of original jurisdiction in any state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or a territory of the United States, a foreign jurisdiction as permitted by rule of the Superior Court or in a district court of the United States and is a member in good standing of such bar. For the purposes of this subdivision, “employee” means any person engaged in service to an employer in the business of his or her employer, but does not include an independent contractor.

(3) In any prosecution under section 53a-8 for soliciting, requesting, commanding, importuning or intentionally aiding in the violation of this section, and in any prosecution under section 53a-48 for conspiracy to violate this section, the state shall have the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant had actual knowledge that the person was not admitted to practice law in any jurisdiction at the time such violation occurred.

(c) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be deemed in contempt of court, and the Superior Court shall have jurisdiction in equity upon the petition of any member of the bar of this state in good standing or upon its own motion to restrain such violation.

(d) The provisions of this section shall not be construed as prohibiting: (1) A town clerk from preparing or drawing deeds, mortgages, releases, certificates of change of name and trade name certificates which are to be recorded or filed in the town clerk's office in the town in which the town clerk holds office; (2) any person from practicing law or pleading at the bar of any court of this state in his or her own cause; (3) any person from acting as an agent or representative for a party in an international arbitration, as defined in subsection (3) of section 50a-101; or (4) any attorney admitted to practice law in any other state or the District of Columbia from practicing law in relation to an impeachment proceeding pursuant to Article Ninth of the Connecticut Constitution, including an impeachment inquiry or investigation, if the attorney is retained by (A) the General Assembly, the House of Representatives, the Senate, a committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate, or the presiding officer at a Senate trial, or (B) an officer subject to impeachment pursuant to said Article Ninth.

(1949 Rev., S. 7638, 7641; P.A. 82-248, S. 74; P.A. 91-324, S. 3; P.A. 95-137; P.A. 04-2, S. 1; P.A. 12-80, S. 116; P.A. 13-29, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 82-248 made technical revision, rewording some provisions and dividing section into Subsecs. but made no substantive change; P.A. 91-324 amended Subsec. (d) to provide that the documents are filed in the town clerk's office in the town in which the town clerk “holds office” rather than the town in which he “resides” and to add Subdiv. (3) re a person acting as an agent or representative for a party in an international arbitration; P.A. 95-137 amended Subsec. (b) to add provision making the criminal penalties inapplicable to certain employees of business entities who render legal advice to their employers and to define “employee”; P.A. 04-2 made a technical change in Subsec. (d)(3) and added Subsec. (d)(4) re an attorney admitted to practice law in any other state or the District of Columbia practicing law in relation to impeachment proceeding, effective March 11, 2004, and applicable to any practice of law on or after January 26, 2004; P.A. 12-80 amended Subsec. (b) to change penalty from a fine of not more than $250 or imprisonment of not more than 2 months or both to a class C misdemeanor; P.A. 13-29 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re person providing legal services pursuant to statute or rule of Superior Court, add provision re person previously admitted under Sec. 51-80 who has been disqualified due to resignation, disbarment, inactive status or suspension, and add Subdiv. (8) re otherwise engaging in the practice of law as defined by statute or rule of Superior Court, amended Subsec. (b) to insert Subdiv. (1) and (2) designators, increase penalty to class D felony, retain existing class C misdemeanor penalty for defendant who committed act while admitted to practice and in good standing in other jurisdiction, add provision re person whose admission is suspended solely for failure to pay occupational tax or client security fund fee not to be subject to prosecution under section, add provision re rendering legal advice to employer or affiliate when admitted in a foreign jurisdiction as permitted by rule of Superior Court, and add Subdiv. (3) re state's burden of proof in prosecution under Secs. 53a-8 and 53a-48, and made technical changes.

See Sec. 3-95a re prohibition against notary public offering legal advice in immigration matters.

Giving of certificates as to validity of land titles is practice of law. 128 C. 325. To “practice law” means to perform either in or out of court any acts commonly understood to be the practice of law; history of section reviewed. 145 C. 222. Practice of law by trust departments of banks; appearances at Probate Court hearings constitute the practice of law. 146 C. 556. History discussed. 154 C. 129, 137–140. Section forbids one who has not passed the bar from practicing law in or out of court. Id., 140. Defendant was not giving “general information” but, rather, information directed toward a particular person and to a particular instrument; consequently he was practicing law. Id., 144. While it may be difficult to define “practice of law” and those who engage in border area activity might claim it is unconstitutionally ambiguous as to them, defendant could not so claim because his activity was well within area of “practice of law”. Id., 148. Statute not unconstitutionally void for vagueness or overly broad so as to infringe on first amendment rights. 239 C. 251. Cited. Id., 256.

Cited. 14 CA 172; 29 CA 43; 34 CA 543; 37 CA 529; 44 CA 381. There is no right of self-representation under Subsec. (d)(2) for an executor bringing an action pursuant to Sec. 52-555, as that section allows a cause of action maintainable by an executor or administrator in his representative, fiduciary capacity, not as an individual plaintiff. 118 CA 211. Trustee, as a nonlawyer, does not have authority to appear pro se for purposes of maintaining an appeal on behalf of trust. 119 CA 785. Individual, who is not a party to the case or an attorney, does not have authority to represent defendant trust in appeal of foreclosure action. 223 CA 739.

Drafting of wills is practice of law. 4 CS 438. Cited. 9 CS 94. Town clerks are not allowed to render opinions with respect to validity of real estate titles. Id., 253. Cited. 20 CS 256; Id., 268. Terms of injunction in accordance with Supreme Court decision re practice of law by trust departments of banks. 21 CS 42. New York attorney not a member of Connecticut bar held not entitled to recover for legal services rendered in Connecticut. 23 CS 225. Cited. 34 CS 674. Whether pro se status alone suffices to strike class action allegations is not clear. 37 CS 46. Cited. 40 CS 361.

Not error to deny motion for new trial even if witness' testimony was false but it appears that result reached on new trial would not be different. 2 Conn. Cir. Ct. 257. Improper for defendant corporation to appear pro se through its president who was not an attorney. Id., 284.

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Notes of Decisions

Cited in 54 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1961–2025 · leading case: Bysiewicz v. Dinardo, 6 A.3d 726 (Conn. 2010).

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Bysiewicz v. Dinardo, 6 A.3d 726 (Conn. 2010). · cites it 16× “[32] Second, even if we were to assume that, in carrying out her statutory functions, the plaintiff occasionally engaged in conduct that required a high degree of legal skill and that would, therefore, constitute the unauthorized practice of law under General Statutes § 51-88 if…”

Expressway Assocs. II v. Friendly Ice Cream Corp., 642 A.2d 62 (Conn. App. Ct. 1994). · cites it 10× “action” and may proceed pro se pursuant to General Statutes § 51-88 (d) (2), 6 (2) the court and parties have waived their rights to object, and (3) it would be inequitable to rule that it is inappropriate for him to be heard in that there is no threat to the public interest.”

Grievance Comm. v. Dacey, 222 A.2d 339 (Conn. 1966). · cites it 17× “This action was brought by the Grievance Committee of the Bar of Fairfield County seeking an injunction to restrain the defendants *132 from engaging in the unauthorized practice of law in violation of General Statutes § 51-88. 1 The defendants’ attempts to secure additions to…”

Monroe v. Horwitch, 820 F. Supp. 682 (D. Conn. 1993). · cites it 15× “Plaintiff alleges that Conn.Gen.Stat. § 51-88/ forbidding the unauthorized practice of law, violates the First Amendment, freedom of speech, and the Fourteenth Amendment, equal protection and due process.”

In Re Peterson, 163 B.R. 665 (Bankr. D. Conn. 1994). · cites it 9× “1993) (the preparation of documents in divorce actions constitutes the practice of law under § 51-88). “[I]t is clear that § 51-88 forbids the performance of any act both in and out of court that is commonly understood to be the practice of law by persons not admitted to the…”

In re Darlene C., 717 A.2d 1242 (Conn. 1998). · cites it 7× “Consequently, the court, without first affording the commissioner an opportunity to be heard, invoked its authority under General Statutes § 51-88 (c), 7 and Prac *5 tice Book § 29, 8 now Practice Book § 2-44, and, sua sponte, ordered the commissioner to “cease and desist from…”

Statewide Grievance Comm. v. Patton, 683 A.2d 1359 (Conn. 1996). · cites it 8× “The plaintiff, the statewide grievance committee, brought this action seeking an injunction to restrain the defendant Gerard Patton 1 from the unauthorized practice of law in violation of General Statutes § 51-88. 2 The trial court granted the plaintiffs request for injunctive…”

Statewide Grievance Comm. v. Burton, 871 A.2d 380 (Conn. App. Ct. 2005). · cites it 6× “See General Statutes § 51-88. Pursuant to § 51-88, the court has jurisdiction to enjoin and to exercise its contempt powers over any individual who is found guilty of the unauthorized practice of law, regardless of whether that individual is a disbarred attorney or one who has…”

Perlah v. S.E.I. Corp., 612 A.2d 806 (Conn. App. Ct. 1992). · cites it 12× “The referee rejected the defendant’s argument that an award of attorney’s fees for legal services performed before the plaintiff was admitted to practice in Connecticut violated General Statutes § 51-88. The referee reasoned that § 51-88 prohibits only an attorney not licensed…”

Ellis v. Cohen, 982 A.2d 1130 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009). · cites it 6× “8 General Statutes § 51-88 (a) provides in relevant part that “[a] person who has not been admitted as an attorney under the provisions of section 51-80 shall not .”

Lowe v. City of Shelton, 851 A.2d 1183 (Conn. App. Ct. 2004). · cites it 2× “’ General Statutes § 51-88 (d) (2). The authorization to appear pro se is limited to representing one’s own cause, and does not permit individuals to appear pro se in a representative capacity.”

Pappas v. Philip Morris, Inc., 915 F.3d 889 (2d Cir. 2019). “[p]ractice law or appear as an attorney-at-law for another, in any court of record in [Connecticut]," Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 51-88 (a), and Connecticut state courts have interpreted that statute to prohibit pro se representation of an estate.”

Show all 54 citing cases →

— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-88(a) — 2 cases

In Re Peterson, 163 B.R. 665 (Bankr. D. Conn. 1994). “1993) (the preparation of documents in divorce actions constitutes the practice of law under § 51-88). “[I]t is clear that § 51-88 forbids the performance of any act both in and out of court that is commonly understood to be the practice of law by persons not admitted to the…”

Orsini v. Interiors of Yesterday, LLC (In Re Interiors of Yesterday, LLC), 284 B.R. 19 (Bankr. D. Conn. 2002).

— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-88(d) — 1 case

Traylor v. Awwa, 899 F. Supp. 2d 216 (D. Conn. 2012).

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