PHV

Law & Legal abbreviation · Legal Profession

PHV
Stands forPro hac vice
CategoriesLaw & Legal

PHV stands for Pro hac vice, a legal profession abbreviation.

Permission for a lawyer not licensed in a jurisdiction to appear in a particular case there, usually granted on motion with a local attorney as sponsor or co-counsel. The Latin means "for this occasion".

Example: Our New York litigator filed a PHV motion so she could argue the motion in Texas federal court.

Usage notes

Most courts require a fee, a certificate of good standing and association with local counsel, and some limit how many cases a lawyer may handle this way. In federal court, admission is governed by each district's local rules, and e-filing systems often label the fee "PHV". The admitted lawyer is subject to the court's discipline.

More legal profession abbreviations

  • N.P. – Notary public
  • NALP – National Association for Law Placement
  • NCBE – National Conference of Bar Examiners
  • OCI – On-campus interviewing
  • ODC – Office of Disciplinary Counsel
  • OGC – Office of General Counsel
  • QC – Queen's Counsel
  • RPC – Rules of Professional Conduct
  • SA – Summer associate
  • SBN – State Bar number
  • SC – Senior Counsel
  • SQE – Solicitors Qualifying Examination

See all 46 legal profession abbreviations →

This entry is for general education and is not legal advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.