Interested Persons:

The State Bar seeks public comment on the following two proposals. Please click the links for more information and to comment.

Proposed Amended Rule of Professional Conduct 1.7

Proposed amendments to California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.7 that would modify the disclosure requirements for a lawyer’s personal relationships or responsibilities to a party or witness, with Proposal 1 eliminating the disclosure requirement and requiring client consent for close familial relationships, and Proposal 2 retaining the disclosure requirement for personal relationships while eliminating it for other responsibilities.Public comment form 

Public comment deadline for this proposal:November 3, 2026.

Proposed Formal Opinion Interim No. 20-0005 (Conversion Clauses in Contingent Fee Agreements) 
Under what circumstances, if any, are “conversion clauses” in contingency fee agreements ethically permissible? The opinion interprets rules 1.2, 1.5, and 1.16 of the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California.

Public comment form 

Public comment deadline for these proposals:December 21, 2026.