Policy & Initiatives

About Us

The Center Policy Implementation Committee provides assistance to jurisdictions on the review and implementation of adopted policy, promotion of policy to the bar and the public, and maintains a national clearinghouse of information on implementation efforts.

Implementation Projects

Rules of Professional Conduct

• August 2018 House of Delegates amend Model Rules 7.1-7.5
  • Report and Resolution 101 submitted by the Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (May 2018)
  • Revised Resolution 101 submitted by the Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility July 2018 and adopted by the House of Delegates (August 2018)          
    
  • Clean redline of House of Delegates adopted amendments to Model Rules 7.1-7.3
• Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility changes to Model Rules 7.1-7.5
• August 2016 House of Delegates Amends Model Rule 8.4
• Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility Changes to Model Rule 8.4
• The Amended ABA Model Rule 8.4:  Power Point Presentation
  
• Chart - Jurisdictional Adoption of Rule 8.4(g) of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct

ABA House of Delegates Approves Commission on Ethics 20-20 Resolutions

On Monday, February 11, 2013, the ABA House of Delegates voted to approve the following at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Dallas, Texas:

• Revised 107A (Rule 5.5: Unauthorized Practice of Law; Multijurisdictional Practice of Law)
• Revised 107B (Model Rule for Registration of In-House Counsel)
  
• 107C as Amended (ABA Model Rule on Pro Hac Vice Admission)
• 107D (Disciplinary Authority; Choice of Law)
  

On Monday, August 6, 2012 the ABA House of Delegates voted to approve the following:

• Revised 105A as amended (Technology & Confidentiality)
• 105B (Technology & Client Development)
• 105C (Outsourcing)
• 105D (Practice Pending Admission)
• 105E (Admission by Motion)
• Revised 105F (Model Rule 1.6: Detection of Conflicts of Interest
• Jurisdictional Adoption of Selected Ethics 20/20 Commission Policies, Guidelines for an International Regulatory Information Exchange, and Amendment to Model Rule 8.4
• Chronological Adoption of Ethics 20-20 Amendments
• Charts Comparing Revised Jurisdictional Rules to Model Rules
• Charts Comparing Jurisdictional Variations in Individual Rules with Model Rules
• Jurisdictional Adoption of Model Rule Comments
• More information on the status of jurisdictional rule adoption and recent changes to the Model Rules.

Model Rule on Practice Pending Admission

• ABA Model Rule on Practice Pending Admission
• Arizona Supreme Court Rule 38(h), Practice Pending Admission on Motion
• Colorado Rule 205.6 Practice Pending Admission
• District of Columbia Rule: D.C. Ct. of Appeals R. 49(c)(8) (Limited Duration Supervision by D.C. Bar Member)
• Kansas Rule 710: Rules Relating to Admission of Attorneys: Temporary Permit to Practice (Only applies to written bar examination)
• Missouri Rule: MO. Sup. Ct. R. 8.06 (Temporary Practice by Lawyers Applying for Admission to the Missouri Bar)
• North Carolina Rule RPC 5.5(e)
• North Dakota Rule 6.1: Temporary License for Lawyers Applying for Admission
• Tennessee Rule, Section 5.01(g): Practice Pending Admission by Applicant Licensed in Another Jurisdiction

Model Rule for Registration of In-House Counsel

• Model Rule for Registration of In-House Counsel (Revised 103, February 8, 2016)
• Model Rule for Registration of In-House Counsel (Revised 107B – redline February, 2013)
• Model Rules for Registration of In-House Counsel (Final – February, 2013)
• Chart with Jurisdictional In-House Counsel Rules
• Comparison of In-House Counsel Rules

Multijurisdictional Practice

• Chart on Jurisdictional Adoption of Rule 5.5
• Chart on Jurisdictional Adoption of Rule 8.5
• Chart on Jurisdictional Adoption of MJP policies

More information on implementation of the policies of the Multijurisdictional Practice Commission, including the Model Rule for the Licensing and Practice of Foreign Legal Consultants and the Model Rule for Temporary Practice by Foreign Lawyers.

ABA Guidelines for an International Lawyer Regulatory Information Exchange

• In August 2013, the House of Delegates adopted Resolution 104 setting forth ABA Guidelines for an International Lawyer Regulatory Information Exchange.  The Standing Committee on Professional Discipline and the ABA Task Force on International Trade in Legal Services developed Resolution 104 to facilitate international regulatory cooperation.

Model Code of Judicial Conduct

• Overview of ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct 2007
• Joint Commission to Evaluate the Model Code of Judicial Conduct homepage
• Model Code of Judicial Conduct, as revised August 2010
• Model Code of Judicial Conduct, as revised February 2007
• Reporters’ Explanation of Changes
• More information on implementation of the revised Model Code of Judicial Conduct
• Purchase the most recent edition of the Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2011)

Model Court Rule on Provision of Legal Services Following Determination of Major Disaster (Rule)

• Report to House of Delegates (adopted February 2007)
• Model Court Rule
• Amendment to Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5
• Chart - Jurisdictional Implementation of ABA Model Court Rule on Provision of Legal Services Following Determination of Major Disaster
• Conference of Chief Justices Resolution on adoption of ABA Model Court Rule on Provision of Legal Services Following Determination of Major Disaster

Military Spouse Lawyer Admission Rule

• February 2012 ABA House of Delegates Resolution and Report supporting changes in jurisdictional licensing rules for military spouses with law degrees.
• July 2012 Conference of Chief Justices resolution for admission of military spouse lawyers without examination. You can read the resolution here.
• Jurisdictional implementation of a military spouse admission rule.  http://www.msjdn.org/rule-change/

Adopted Policy

The following policies have been adopted by the ABA House of Delegates:

• Model Rules of Professional Conduct
• Model Code of Judicial Conduct
• Formal Ethics Opinions
• Model Rules for Judicial Disciplinary Enforcement
• Model Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement
• Model Federal Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement
• ABA Guidelines for an International Lawyer Regulatory Information Exchange - Resolution 104
• Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions
• Model Rules for Lawyers’ Funds for Client Protection
• Model Rules for Trust Account Overdraft Notification
• Model Rules for Client Trust Account Records
• Model Rule for Random Audit of Lawyer Trust Accounts
• Model Rule for Payee Notification
• Model Rules for Fee Arbitration
• Model Rules for Mediation of Client-Lawyer Disputes
• Model Court Rule on Insurance Disclosure
• Model Court Rule on Provision of Legal Services Following Determination of Major Disaster
• Model Rule on Admission by Motion
• Model Rule on Pro Hac Vice Admission
• Model Rule on Practice Pending Admission
• Model Rule for the Licensing and Practice of Foreign Legal Consultants
• Model Rule for Registration of In-House Counsel
• Model Rule on Temporary Practice by Foreign Lawyers
• Model Rules for Advisory Opinions on the Unauthorized Practice of Law
• Standards for Specialty Certification Programs for Lawyers

Related Materials

The following related materials include commissions, task forces, reports and former codes and rules:

• ABA Canons of Professional Ethics  (1908)
• ABA Canons of Judicial Ethics  (1924)
• Model Code of Professional Responsibility (1969 – 1983)
• Special Committee on Evaluation of Disciplinary Enforcement - Problems and Recommendations in Disciplinary Enforcement  (1970)
• Commission on Professionalism - In the Spirit of Public Service: A Blueprint for the Rekindling of Lawyer Professionalism (Stanley Commission, 1986)
• ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct  (1990)
• Commission on Evaluation of Disciplinary Enforcement - Lawyer Regulation for a New Century (McKay, 1992)
• Commission on NonLawyer Practice - NonLawyer Activity in Law Related Situations (1995)
• Commission on Evaluation of the Rules of Professional Conduct (Ethics 2000)
• Commission on Multidisciplinary Practice (1998-2000)
• Conference of Chief Justices National Action Plan on Lawyer Conduct and Professionalism (1999)
• Implementation Plan for the Conference of Chief Justices National Action Plan on Lawyer Conduct and Professionalism (2002)
• Joint Commission to Evaluate the Model Code of Judicial Conduct (2003-2007)
• American Jury Project (2004)

Charts

• Jurisdictional Rules Comparison Charts

GATS/International Agreements

Judicial Code Revision Project

Ethics 2000 Commission

Links of Interest