The State Bar seeks public input on Proposed Amended Rule of Professional Conduct 7.3.
Deadline: July 18, 2025, 11:59 p.m. (60 days)
Comments should be submitted using the online Public Comment Form. The online form allows you to input your comments directly and can also be used to upload your comment letter and/or other attachments.
The State Bar Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC) is charged with addressing matters involving legal ethics to help California lawyers understand their ethical duties. The committee’s work includes studying and recommending changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct. (See State Bar Board Book, Section 4.12 & Appen. B.)
The Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC) received public comments from domestic violence legal service providers across California raising serious concerns about attorney solicitation practices in domestic violence restraining order (DVRO) cases. Specifically, providers report a dangerous trend of attorneys soliciting respondents before they have been formally served. This conduct is concerning because it can alert alleged abusers to the existence of the DVRO request prematurely, at a time recognized by law as particularly dangerous for victims (Fam. Code § 6309(a)(1)(A)-(B)). Early solicitation may jeopardize safety planning, increase the risk of retaliatory abuse, allow respondents to evade service, and undermine survivors’ trust in the legal system—ultimately deterring them from seeking necessary legal protections.
The proposed amended rule addresses these concerns while preserving respondents’ right to counsel. COPRAC seeks public input on Proposed Amended Rule of Professional Conduct 7.3.
Amended Rule 7.3 would:
At its May 9, 2025, meeting, COPRAC approved proposed amended rule 7.3 for a 60-day public comment period.
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State Bar Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct
July 18, 2025, 11:59 p.m.