Local Counsel Who Actually Knows the Local Courts.

Pro Hac Vice Admission Is the Easy Part.

Getting admitted pro hac vice in New York takes a motion, a fee, and a local counsel signature. Most firms treat the local counsel requirement as a formality. Find someone with a New York bar number, get the motion signed, move on.

Then the problems start.

Your discovery schedule is set according to the Differentiated Case Management protocol you’ve never heard of. And the deadlines are half what you expected. Your working copies need to comply with county-specific formatting rules that aren’t in the CPLR. The part clerk emails you a conference date that conflicts with the calendar call procedures you assumed were universal. And when you can’t fly in for a routine compliance conference, you need someone who can do more than check a box.

New York Supreme Court is not one court. It’s eight counties, each with different procedures, different clerk workflows, and different judicial expectations. Your local counsel needs to know all of it.

The Two Systems Every Out-of-State Attorney Gets Wrong.

This is the most common mistake we see from out-of-state firms litigating in New York for the first time. New York has two completely separate court systems, and they do not talk to each other.

System	Purpose	What It Does NOT Do
NYSCEF (NY State Courts E-Filing)	Filing documents: motions, pleadings, orders, stipulations	Does NOT list calendar dates or appearance schedules
eCourts (WebCivil Supreme)	Court calendar: future appearance dates, case status, judge assignments	Does NOT show cases until an RJI is filed and a judge is assigned

Out-of-state attorneys assume one system handles everything. Filing and calendaring are completely separate. Missing this distinction leads to missed appearances, missed deadlines, and potential malpractice exposure.

The RJI trap. A Supreme Court case is NOT assigned to a judge until a Request for Judicial Intervention is filed and the $95 fee is paid. Until then, the case exists in NYSCEF but does not appear in eCourts at all. If you search a case name in eCourts and it doesn’t come up, the case may still exist. You must search NYSCEF separately. We check both systems on every matter as a standard practice.

The workflow a local attorney knows: Always check both systems. Start with NYSCEF for case existence and filed documents. Use eCourts for calendar and scheduling, but only after the RJI is filed. If eCourts shows nothing, check NYSCEF before assuming the case doesn’t exist.

As of January 1, 2026: Mandatory e-filing through NYSCEF has expanded to all civil actions statewide. Every case you file in New York now goes through NYSCEF.

We’re Not a Signature. We’re Your New York Litigation Team.

When we serve as local counsel, we take responsibility for every local procedural aspect of your case. That means we’re not waiting for you to ask the right questions. We’re flagging issues you don’t know exist yet.

What Out-of-State Attorneys Need Beyond Admission.

The PHV motion gets you in the door. Everything after that is where out-of-state firms run into trouble. New York’s CPLR is notoriously technical, with specific formatting and citation requirements that differ from most other jurisdictions. Each county adds its own layer of local rules on top of that.

NYSCEF e-filing requirements. As of 2026, mandatory for all civil actions. The pull-down menus and document classification system are not intuitive. We handle your filings and catch the issues before the clerk rejects them.

Differentiated Case Management (DCM). After an RJI is filed, cases are assigned to a track: 8 months (expedited), 12 months (standard), or 15 months (complex). These timelines are aggressive compared to most other states. Your discovery schedule flows from these deadlines.

County-specific discovery rules. Kings County has eliminated automatic NOI extensions and uses an administrative dismissal process (NINA-C dates) that catches attorneys from more lenient jurisdictions. Queens compresses discovery to approximately 60 days on accelerated tracks. The Bronx shortens summary judgment deadlines from the CPLR default of 120 days to as few as 60 days through individual part rules.

Judge preferences and unwritten rules. Each part has its own calendar procedures, working copy requirements, and adjournment protocols. Some judges require hard copies despite mandatory e-filing. Some hold oral argument on all substantive motions. Some refuse to hear per diem attorneys without binding authority. We know these rules because we are in these courtrooms almost every day.

Borough-by-Borough: What You Need to Know.

Every borough operates differently. Here is what catches out-of-state firms most often.

Borough	Courthouse	Key Pitfall for Out-of-State Firms
Kings County (Brooklyn)	360 Adams St	CCP appearances in Room 282 routinely take 3 to 5 hours. Discovery deadlines are strict. NINA-C dates trigger administrative dismissal if you miss them.
New York County (Manhattan)	60, 80, 111 Centre St + 71 Thomas St	Four separate buildings. DCM Part at 80 Centre uses a circle-and-sign protocol with no formal calendar call. E-filed motions are submitted electronically through NYSCEF.
Queens County	88-11 Sutphin Blvd, Jamaica	Discovery deadlines can be compressed to 60 days. Some judges require hard copies; others decide everything on submission. Must check Part Rules for each judge.
Bronx County	851 Grand Concourse	Summary judgment deadlines shortened to 60 or 90 days in many parts. Working copies required despite NYSCEF. Arrive 45 minutes early for security screening.
Nassau County	100 Supreme Court Dr, Mineola	Separate procedures from NYC boroughs. Different clerk workflows and filing requirements.
Suffolk County	1 Court St, Riverhead	East end of Long Island. Significant travel time from NYC. Different local rules from Nassau.
Orange County	285 Main St, Goshen	9th Judicial District. Separate from NYC court system procedures entirely.
Richmond County (Staten Island)	26 Central Ave	Smallest NYC borough court. Limited per diem coverage options.

We cover all of these courts. Our court intelligence pages provide detailed guides to individual judges and county procedures.

Everything Between Admission and Trial.

PHV Motion Practice. Drafting, filing, and arguing the pro hac vice admission motion under 22 NYCRR 520.11. We handle the fee payment, the court’s paperwork, and any objections from opposing counsel. Requirements vary by Appellate Division Department.

Court Appearances. Conferences (CCP, preliminary, compliance, status), motion arguments, calendar calls, and trial support. We appear with substantive preparation, not just a body in a courtroom.

Discovery Management. New York discovery rules are aggressive. We ensure your discovery schedule is realistic, your responses are timely, and your objections comply with CPLR requirements. When disputes arise, we handle the motion practice locally.

E-Filing and Compliance. NYSCEF filing, eCourts calendar monitoring, working copy requirements, service requirements, and county-specific procedural compliance. We navigate both systems so you don’t have to learn them.

Local Coordination. When you need a deposition location in New York County, a process server who knows the Brooklyn courthouse, or a court reporter familiar with New York procedures, we coordinate locally.

Courts We Cover for PHV Matters.

• NY Supreme Court — All five boroughs (Kings, New York, Queens, Bronx, Richmond)
• Nassau County Supreme Court — 100 Supreme Court Drive, Mineola
• Suffolk County Supreme Court — 1 Court Street, Riverhead
• Orange County Supreme Court — 285 Main Street, Goshen
• SDNY — Southern District of New York (federal)
• EDNY — Eastern District of New York (federal)

Transparent Pricing. No Hourly Surprises.

Service	Rate
Pro hac vice motion (preparation and filing)	Call for quote
Court appearances (conferences, motions, calendar calls)	$250 per appearance
Examination Before Trial (EBT)	$550 per EBT
50-H Hearing	$550
Interpreter required (EBT or 50-H)	+$100
Deposition (over 3 hours)	$800 flat day rate
Discovery motion practice	Call for quote
Ongoing local counsel retainer	Call for quote

Court conference appearances are billed at our standard $250 flat rate. No hourly charges, no surcharges for extended calendar calls or difficult parts. The PHV motion fee does not include the court filing fee, which is a separate disbursement.

Your New York Case Needs a Local Team. Not Just a Local Signature.

Call or email to discuss your pro hac vice matter. We respond within 24 hours.

When your case is on the line, send someone who knows the courtroom.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The Law Office of Frederic R. Abramson, 160 Broadway, Suite 500, New York, NY 10038. 212-233-0666.