The history note for each rule is followed by notes on the ethical opinions of the state bar that apply or interpret the rule. In the notes, the terms « CPR » and « CPR » refer to formal ethical opinions adopted in accordance with the 1973 Code of Professional Responsibility and the 1985 Rules of Professional Conduct, respectively. Such advice shall continue to provide guidance on ethical matters, unless a particular opinion is overridden by a subsequent opinion or by a provision of the applicable rules of professional conduct. Ethical opinions that are declared invalid by a subsequent notice or by the applicable regulations are generally not commented. (A CPR statement can be requested by calling the Ethics Department of the State Bar.) An ethics notice published in accordance with the 1997 Rules and subsequently referred to as the « Formal Ethics Opinion ». Unlike the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure or the Federal Rules of Evidence, the Standard Rules of Ethics are not inherently binding, but only come into effect when states choose to adopt certain rules. For example, New York was one of the last States to continue to use the 1969 code and did not adopt an amended version of the model rules until 2009. It is also important to note that the MRPC is not the exclusive source of ethical rules in the legal profession. On the contrary, it coexists with federal and state laws, such as sarbanes-Oxley, the inherent judiciary to discipline and regulate court proceedings, common offenses, treaties, evidence, and constitutional law, among others. In addition, a violation of the MRPC by a lawyer should not be considered negligence in itself or misconduct in itself. Rule 5.1 Responsibilities of a partner or supervising lawyer Rule 5.2 Responsibilities of a subordinate lawyer Rule 5.3 Responsibilities relating to assistance to non-lawyers Rule 5.4 Professional independence of a lawyer Rule 5.5 Unauthorized practice of law; Multi-Jurisdictional Rule of Practice 5.6 Restrictions on the Right to Practice Rule 5.7 Responsibilities for Law Services The California Rules of Professional Conduct are intended to regulate the professional conduct of attorneys admitted to the state bar by discipline. They were passed by the Board of Directors and approved by the California Supreme Court under the Act to Protect the Public and Promote Respect and Trust in the Legal Profession.

The rules and all related standards adopted by the Council are binding on all lawyers admitted to the State Bar. The Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) are a set of legal ethics rules created in 1983 by the American Bar Association (ABA) in place of the 1969 Code of Professional Responsibility. The MRPC consists of the following sections: client-lawyer relationship, consultant, lawyer, transactions with persons other than clients, law firms and associations, public service, information on legal services and maintenance of the integrity of the profession. The MRPC provides both mandates and advice in discretionary situations on issues such as conflicts of interest, lawyers` competence obligations, diligence, confidentiality and loyalty, conduct to the courts, attorneys` fees and solicitation, and more. The ABA Standard Rules of Professional Conduct were adopted by the ABA House of Delegates in 1983. They serve as a model for the ethical rules of most jurisdictions. Prior to the adoption of the Model Rules, the ABA model was the 1969 Model Code of Professional Liability. The Model Code was preceded by the 1908 Code of Ethics (last amended in 1963). The date the rule was initially approved by the North Carolina Supreme Court is identified as the « assumed » date. It should be noted that the Code of Ethics was extensively restructured and renumbered in 1997; Therefore, most of the rules indicate July 24, 1997 as the date of adoption by the Supreme Court.