A party may appear in person or by an officer, partner, or regular employee of the party, or by or with counsel or other duly qualified representative, in any proceeding under the regulations in this part. A party may offer testimony, produce and examine witnesses, and be heard upon brief and at oral argument if oral argument is granted. Any person compelled to appear in a proceeding pursuant to subpoena may be accompanied, represented, and advised by counsel and may purchase a transcript of his testimony.

Any individual acting in a representative capacity in any proceeding before the Administration may be required by the Administration or the Presiding Officer to show his authority to act in such capacity.

Persons who appear at any hearing shall deliver a written notation of appearance to the reporter, stating for whom the appearance is made. The written appearance shall be made a part of the record.

Practice before the Administration shall be deemed to comprehend all matters connected with any presentation to the Administration or its staff.

Hearings on any matter before the Administration will be held by a duly designated Member or Members thereof, or a Hearing Examiner qualified under section 11 of the Administrative Procedure Act, assigned by the Chief Hearing Examiner, who shall be designated as the Presiding Officers. Where appropriate the Administration may designate other members of the staff to serve as Presiding Officers in hearings not required by statute, as provided in § 201.86.

Attorneys at law who are admitted to practice before the Federal courts or before the courts of any State or territory of the United States may practice before the Administration. An attorney's own representation that he is such in good standing before any of the courts herein referred to will be sufficient proof thereof.

Except as regards law firms, practice before the Administration by firms or corporations on behalf of others shall not be permitted.

The Administration may, in its discretion, deny admission to, suspend, or disbar any person from practice before the Administration who it finds does not possess the requisite qualifications to represent others or is lacking in character, integrity, or to have engaged in unethical or improper professional conduct. Disrespectful, disorderly, or contumacious language or contemptuous conduct at any hearing before the Administration or a presiding officer shall constitute grounds for immediate exclusion from said hearing by the Presiding Officer. Any person who has been admitted to practice before the Administration may be disbarred from such practice only after he has been afforded an opportunity to be heard.

The Administration, in its discretion, may call upon any practitioner for a full statement of the nature and extent of his interest in the subject matter presented by him before the Administration. Attorneys retained on a contingent fee basis shall file with the Administration a copy of the contract of employment.

(a) No former officer or employee of the Administration, after his or her employment with the Administration has ceased, shall act as agent or attorney for anyone other than the United States in connection with any particular matter in which a specific party or parties are involved and in which the United States is a party or has a direct and substantial interest and in which the former officer or employee participated personally and substantially as an officer or employee of the Maritime Administration through decision, approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or otherwise while so employed by the Maritime Administration.

(b) No former officer or employee of the Administration shall practice, appear, or represent anyone, directly or indirectly, other than the United States, before the Administration in any matter for a period of 1 year subsequent to the termination of his or her employment with the Administration in connection with any proceeding, application, request for a ruling or other determination, contract, claim, controversy, or other particular matter involving a specific party or parties in which the United States is a party or directly and substantially interested and which was under his or her official responsibility as an officer or employee of the Administration at any time during the last year of his or her service.

(c) Any person in doubt as to the applicability of paragraph (a) or (b) of this § 201.26 to a particular case or to the postemployment activities of a former officer or employee of the Administration may address an application to the Administration for the Administration's consent to appear, stating his former connection with the Administration or predecessor agency, identifying the matter in which he or she desires to appear and describe in detail his or her participation in or responsibility for the particular matter and the specific party or parties involved and the extent, if any, in which the former officer or employee had participated while employed by the Administration. The applicant shall be promptly advised as to his or her privilege to appear in the particular matter. Separate consents to appear must be obtained in each particular matter.