Attorney Civility and Professionalism
Civility Toolkit
The Attorney Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism set forth best practices to promote dignity, courtesy, and integrity in the practice of law. They are offered to support advocacy, strengthen public trust in the legal system, and encourage professionalism in service to clients.
In September 2025, the California Supreme Court approved amendments to rule 9.7 of the California Rules of Court, reaffirming the civility oath for California attorneys, and requiring annual affirmation. In February 2026, the State Bar Board of Trustees adopted the Civility in Practice, Navigating Professional Responsibilities Toolkit (Civility Toolkit) as part of implementing the Court’s order. The Civility Toolkit modernizes and builds upon the Attorney Guidelines by providing a statewide educational program, including a lesson plan, presentation materials, and participant resources designed to support meaningful engagement with civility principles in a variety of practice settings.
The Civility Toolkit is intended for use by bar associations, courts, legal organizations and individual presenters seeking to provide civility training consistent with rule 9.7 and current jurisprudence.
California Rules of Court, rule 9.7
Rule 9.7 of the California Rules of Court, effective May 27, 2014 (adopted as rule 9.4 and renumbered effective January 1, 2018), was adopted to supplement the attorney oath for new lawyers. Rule 9.7 states:
In addition to the language required by Business and Professions Code section 6067, the oath to be taken by every person on admission to practice law is to conclude with the following: “As an officer of the court, I will strive to conduct myself at all times with dignity, courtesy, and integrity.”
Civility resources
- Full set of the Civility Guidelines with examples, sample pledge, sample resolution, and sample court order (PDF)
- Key California Civility Cases and Memorandum by California Civility Task Force Members re: Civility Caselaw Research (PDF)
- Sample instructions and forms for implementing a Voluntary Peer Review Counseling Program on civility (PDF)
- Initial Report of the California Civility Task Force (September 2021) (PDF)
- How Civility Is Reflected in Existing Professional Frameworks (PDF)
- Combating implicit bias and stereotypes, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (PDF)
Guidelines on civility and professionalism
The following are links to guidelines on civility and professionalism adopted by bar associations and courts.
Bar Associations
- Bar Association of San Francisco Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism
- Contra Costa County Bar Association Standards of Professional Courtesy
- Los Angeles County Bar Association Code of Civility Guidelines
- Marin County Bar Association Code of Civility
- Orange County Bar Association Civility Guidelines
- Riverside County Bar Association Guidelines of Professional Courtesy and Civility
- Sacramento County Bar Association Standards of Professional Conduct
- San Bernardino County Bar Association Civility Code
- San Diego County Bar Association Attorney Code of Conduct
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers of San Diego Ethics, Professionalism, and Civility Guidelines
- Santa Clara County Bar Association: Code of Professionalism
- Ventura County Bar Association Guidelines on Professional Conduct and Civility
- American Board of Trial Advocates Principles of Civility, Integrity, and Professionalism
Courts
- Superior Court of California County of Del Norte Local Rule of Court 9.10
- Superior Court of California County of Glenn Court Ethics
- Superior Court of California County of Kern Local Rule of Court 1.16
- Superior Court of California County of Los Angeles Guidelines for Civility in Litigation
- Superior Court of California County of Marin Local Rule of Court 1.2
- Superior Court of California County of Mendocino Local Rule of Court 1.4
- Superior Court of California County of Mono Local Rule of Court 2.7
- Superior Court of California County of Placer Local Rule of Court 10.17
- Superior Court of California County of Plumas Local Rule of Court 1.5
- Superior Court of California County of Sacramento Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism
- Superior Court of California County of San Francisco Guidelines of Civility and Professionalism
- Superior Court of California County of Santa Clara Local Court Rules Code of Professionalism
- Superior Court of California County of Sierra Local Rule of Court 1.3
- Superior Court of California County of Siskiyou Local Rule of Court Appendix 1, Section 3
- U.S. District Court Central District of California Civility and Professionalism Guidelines
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California Guidelines for Professional Conduct
- U.S. District Court Southern District of California Civil Rule 2.1 Professionalism
Articles
The following are links to articles on attorney civility and professionalism.
- Calif.'s Civility Push Shows Why Professionalism Is Vital, LAW360, February 2026, Lucy Wang
- In Praise of Civility and the Social Contract, Daily Journal, January 2026, Timothy D. Reuben
- Civility and Professionalism in a Polarized Era, LA Lawyer Magazine, March 2026, Jeffrey Margulies
- “Why Civility?”, University of Toledo Law Review, Spring 2026, David Grenardo
- Courtroom Conduct, ADR Services, October 2009, Judge Michael D. Marcus