By Anne M. Rudolph The business of being a lawyer is not unlike other businesses in the sense that we rely on satisfied customers (clients) to establish, build and maintain a successful practice. Word of...
By Shelly Skinner California’s legal ethics rules are designed to protect the public and the integrity of the legal system, while promoting the administration of justice and confidence in the legal profession. Cal. Rule...
By Mallory H. Chase Although nonlawyers are not directly governed by the California Rules of Professional Conduct (see CRPC, rule 1.0(a) [the “rules are intended to regulate professional conduct of lawyers through discipline”] [emphasis...
By David C. Carr The Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division 3, has a new opinion, Falcon Brands v. Mousavi & Lee L.L.P. (case no. G059477, filed 1/27/22), that adds to our knowledge of...
By Anne M. Rudolph In 2018, the Supreme Court rejected a proposed modified version of Model Rule 1.14 which would have allowed an attorney to take protective action if the attorney reasonably believed that...
By Deborah Wolfe Lawyers have always had a duty to be honest and truthful pursuant to general ethical principles, as well as the State Bar Act. The newest version of the Rules of Professional...
By Timothy Casey This issue of Ethics in Brief covers an attorney’s duty of confidentiality and a commonly held misconception regarding a “public records” exception to the duty of confidentiality. The misconception may stem...
By Edward J. McIntyre We tend to think of our obligations under the Rules of Professional Conduct as personal duties specific to our own conduct. And, indeed, the rules prescribe permissible conduct for California...
By David C. Carr A State Bar Court hearing judge filed her decision this week recommending the disbament of Thomas V. Girardi. Unless you have been living in cave over the last year[1], you...
By Edward McIntyre Many jurisdictions adopted a version of ABA Model Rule 1.14 to give guidance when lawyers must confront obligations to a client with diminished decision-making capacity. Our Rules Revision Commission submitted a...