Ethics
Publications
- “An Update: Rules of Professional Conduct,” The Practitioner, Summer 2018 (available to members of the Solo and Small Firm Summit section)
- “New Rules of Professional Conduct,” Business Law News, 2018 (available to members of the Business Law section)
- “Proposed New Ethics Rules, and Their Impact on Solo Practitioners,” The Practitioner, Spring 2018 (available to members of the Solo and Small Firm section)
- “The Proposed Rules of Professional Conduct,” Business Law News, 2018 (available to members of the Business Law section)
- “Proposed New Ethics Rules: What You Need to Know,” Family Law News, 2018 (available to members of the Family Law section)
- “Advance Fee Deposits and Your Client Trust Account,” California Lawyers Association eNews (December 2019)
- “Ethics of Cryptocurrency: New Rules, New Money, New Issues,” California Lawyers Association eNews (November 2019)
- “Cannabis Clients – High Times, or Buzz Kill?,” California Lawyers Association eNews (October 2019)
- “The Importance of Knowing Who Is, and Who Is Not, My Client,” California Lawyers Association eNews (September 2019)
- “New Committee to Offer Ethics Guidance,” California Lawyers Association eNews (August 2019)
- “The Importance of Knowing Who Is, and Who Is Not, Your Client,” Business Law News, 2019 (available to members of the Business Law section)
- “The Importance of Knowing Who Is, and Who Is Not, Your Client,” California Real Property Journal, 2019 (available to members of the Real Property Law section)
- “Warning: New Rules of Professional Conduct Are Here & They Apply to You!,” California Young Lawyers Association eNews (Spring 2019)
- “Conflicting Roles: Lawyer as Corporate Director,” Business Law News (available to members of the Business Law section)
- “B-Law B-Law B-Law: Ethics for Business Lawyers,” Business Law News (available to members of the Business Law section)
- “Spotlight on Ethics: Soliciting Gifts from Clients,” California Lawyers Association eNews
- “Spotlight on Ethics: Get Client Consent to Limit the Scope of Representation,” California Lawyers Association eNews (November 2020)
- “Sometimes You Need an Expert Witness,” California Lawyers Association eNews (October 2020)
- “Spotlight on Ethics: The Benefits of an Engagement Letter,” California Lawyers Association eNews (September 2020)
- “Spotlight on Ethics: Where to Deposit Advance Payments,” California Lawyers Association eNews (August 2020)
- “Spotlight on Ethics: California Bar Issues Opinion on Advising Cannabis Industry Clients,” California Lawyers Association eNews (July 2020)
- “Whatever Happened to the Task Force on Access and Innovation?,” California Lawyers Association eNews (June 2020)
- “Spotlight on Ethics: Unwaivable Conflicts of Interest,” California Lawyers Association eNews (May 2020)
- “Legal Ethics and the Coronavirus,” California Lawyers Association eNews (April 2020)
- “Consensual Sexual Relations with Clients? No. Not Ever. Not Even on Valentine’s Day!,” California Lawyers Association eNews (February 2020)
“How to Recognize When You Have ‘Too Many’ Clients,” California Lawyers Association eNews (January 2020)
Advisory Opinions from Other Organizations
- The State Bar of California Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct
- Los Angeles County Bar Association Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee
- Orange County Bar Association Professionalism and Ethics Committee
- San Diego County Bar Association Legal Ethics Committee
- The Bar Association of San Francisco Legal Ethics Committee
- American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility
Past Webinars and Events
- “Ethical Considerations in Pro Bono Work,” Webinar (December 10, 2019)
- “E-Ethics: Successfully Navigating Social Media and Technology in Marketing Your Practice and Representing Clients,” Webinar (November 20, 2019)
- “When Are Conflict Waivers Effective — and When Are They Not!,” California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Monterey, CA (October 11, 2019)
- “The New Rules of Professional Conduct – A Year in Review,” California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Monterey, CA (October 11, 2019)
- “Far From The Shallow: Management Tips for Solos and Small Firms,” California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, Monterey, CA (October 11, 2019)
- “Professional Responsibility in California: Past, Present and Future,” California Lawyers Association Annual Meeting (opening session), Monterey, CA (October 10, 2019)
- “Up, Up & Away – Real Strategies for Growing a Sustainable Law Firm,” Symposium on Solo Success (September 20, 2019)
- “CLA Webinar Legal Ethics in a Remote World” (December 16, 2020)
- “CLA Webinar: The Ethics of Working with Cannabis Clients – High Times, or Buzz Kill?” (December 7, 2020)
- “Breaking Away: Ethical Concerns when Leaving a Firm to Start Your Own Practice,” Cal. Lawyers Assn. Solo and Small Firm Summit, Virtual (October 7, 2020)
- “Show Me the Money – Ethical Issues in Charging and Collecting Attorney Fees,” Cal. Lawyers Assn. Annual Meeting, Virtual (September 26, 2020)
- “Hindsight in 2020: A Legal Ethics Year in Review,” Cal. Lawyers Assn. Annual Meeting, Virtual (September 25, 2020)
- “Everyone Needs an Expert – Effective and Ethical Use of Expert Witnesses in Litigation,” Cal. Lawyers Assn. Annual Meeting, Virtual (September 24, 2020)
- “Conflicts of Interest and the New Rules: A Primer,” CLA Webinar (September 9, 2020)
- “Selling Your Services: How to Attract Clients but Avoid Discipline,” CLA Ethics Committee Webinar (July 31, 2020)
- “Ethical Pitfalls and Pratfalls For Attorneys When Using Social Media,” CLA Ethics Committee Webinar (July 6, 2020)
- “10 Ethical Gaffes for New Lawyers,” CLA Ethics Committee Webinar (May 30, 2020)
- “Ethical Issues in IP Practice,” CLA Ethics Committee Webinar (May 19, 2020)
- “What You Weren’t Taught in Law School: How to Be Civil and Mind Your Ethical Obligations in What Seems Like an Uncivil World,” CLA Business Law Section and CYLA Webinar (February 26, 2020)
- “What You Weren’t Taught in Law School: Getting and Retaining Clients: Making it Rain Your Own Way in an Ethical Manner,” CLA Business Law Section and CYLA Webinar (February 12, 2020)
- “Ethics Update: What You Need to Know About the New Rules,” CLA Litigation Section One and Done – MCLE Extravaganza, San Diego, CA (January 24, 2020)
- “Ethical Decision Making in Mediation,” CLA Litigation Section One and Done – MCLE Extravaganza, San Diego, CA (January 24, 2020)
- January 24, 2020: One and Done – MCLE Extravaganza Includes the following legal ethics related sessions:
- On the Cutting Edge—Hot Topics and Recent Developments in Legal Ethics (1.0 Hour Legal Ethics)
- Ethical Decision Making in Mediation (1.0 Hour Legal Ethics)
- Ethics Update: What You Need to Know About the New Rules (1.0 Hour of Legal Ethics)
California Rules of Professional Conduct & State Bar Act
Committee Members
The 202-2021 Ethics Committee is comprised of: David M. Majchrzak, Co-Chair; Neil J Wertlieb, Co-Chair; Merri A. Baldwin; Elizabeth L. Bradley; Alison P. Buchanan; Carole J. Buckner; Rachelle H. Cohen; Scott B. Garner; Karen M. Goodman; Dianne Jackson McLean; Kevin E. Mohr; Ashod Mooradian; Toby J. Rothschild; David D. Samani; Suzanne B. Spencer; and Irean Zhang.
Contact Information
For information on applying to join the Ethics Committee next year or to suggest topics to advisory opinions, contact us at ethics@calawyers.org