Commission for the Revision of the Rules of Professional Conduct

The role of the Commission for the Revision of the Rules of Professional Conduct ("Commission") is to evaluate the existing California Rules of Professional Conduct ("California Rules") in their entirety, considering developments in the attorney professional responsibility field since the last comprehensive revision of the California Rules occurred in 1989 and 1992.

In this regard, the Commission is to consider, along with judicial and statutory developments, the Final Report and Recommendations of the American Bar Association's ("ABA") Ethics 2000 Commission and the American Law Institute's Restatement of the Law Third, The Law Governing Lawyers ("Restatement"), as well as other authorities relevant to the development of professional responsibility standards.

The Commission is specifically charged to also consider the work that has occurred at the local, state and national level with respect to Multi-Disciplinary Practice ("MDP"), Multi-Jurisdictional Practice ("MJP"), unauthorized practice of law ("UPL"), court facilitated propria persona assistance, discrete task representation and to other subjects that have a substantial impact upon the development of professional responsibility standards.

The Commission is to develop proposed amendments to the California Rules that:

  1. Facilitate compliance with and enforcement of the rules by eliminating ambiguities and uncertainties in the rules;
  2. Assure adequate protection to the public in light of developments that have occurred since the rules were last reviewed and amended in 1989 and 1992;
  3. Promote confidence in the legal profession and the administration of justice; and
  4. Eliminate and avoid unnecessary differences between California and other states, fostering the evolution of a national standard with respect to professional responsibility issues.