State Bar of Arizona Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the State Bar of Arizona, with full citations and source links on every page.
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Can a lawyer practice under a name different from the one on file with the bar, or use a pen name for writing unrelated to law?
Practicing law under a name materially different from the one on the State Bar's records can be misleading under ER 7.1, so a name change must be made on the bar's records first. For activities that a…
Can a lawyer who is also a CPA practice both professions together and list both titles on legal letterhead?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer who is also an accountant may practice both professions, even from the same location and list both titles, only if the businesses are kept financially and operation…
Can salaried in-house insurance company lawyers hold themselves out as a private law firm under their own names?
No. The opinion concluded that salaried in-house insurance company lawyers may not hold themselves out as a separate law firm under their surnames, because doing so misrepresents their insurance compa…
Can an out-of-state law firm open an Arizona branch by hiring a local lawyer as an associate rather than a partner?
Yes. The opinion concluded that an out-of-state firm may open an Arizona branch through an Arizona-admitted associate (not a partner) if the associate has a bona fide employment relationship, is fully…
Can a law firm keep a retired or semi-retired partner's name in the firm name, and what must it disclose?
The opinion concluded a firm may keep a retired partner's name in the firm name where there is a continuing line of succession, and the firm name alone needs no further disclosure. But in any listing …
Can an Arizona law firm call itself 'ABCD Law Center' using the partners' initials?
The opinion concluded that 'ABCD Law Center,' built from the partners' initials, is a prohibited trade name under ER 7.5(a), because initials do not sufficiently identify the lawyers actually practici…
Can an Arizona lawyer join a for-profit, nationwide TV advertising and referral service like 'Bankruptcy Attorneys Trust'?
The opinion concluded that an Arizona lawyer may not participate in the described service. It was a for-profit referral service not operated, sponsored, or approved by a bar association, so it failed …
Do Arizona's lawyer-advertising rules apply to a professional announcement card mailed to lawyers, clients, friends, and relatives?
The opinion concluded that the ER 7.2 and ER 7.3 advertising restrictions do not apply to a professional announcement so long as it is not false or misleading under ER 7.1 and is sent only to other at…
Can a law firm list paralegals and other non-lawyer staff on its letterhead?
The opinion concluded that, under ER 7.1 and ER 7.5, a law firm may list non-lawyer support personnel such as paralegals, administrators, or office managers on its letterhead, business cards, and adve…
Can a solo practitioner with no current associates call the firm 'X and Associates'?
The opinion concluded that 'X and Associates' is not a prohibited trade name and is not misleading if the employing lawyer's name is included and the lawyer actually employs other lawyers, but a sole …
Can a lawyer advertise with a catchy slogan like 'We take the pain out of accidents'?
The opinion concluded that the slogan, while undignified and lacking informational content, is not false, deceptive, or misleading, because a person of ordinary intelligence would not read it literall…
Can a law firm mail seminar brochures to non-clients, and must the brochures be labeled as advertisements?
The opinion concluded that a firm may conduct legal seminars within the committee's guidelines and mail brochures publicizing them to non-clients, even when the motive is financial. A brochure that gi…
Can one law firm be listed as 'Of Counsel' to another law firm on letterhead?
The opinion concluded that one firm may be listed as 'Of Counsel' to another, reversing the committee's earlier prohibition, provided the designation truthfully reflects a substantial, continuing rela…
Can an Arizona lawyer who is not board-certified put a practice 'specialty' on the firm letterhead?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer not certified by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization may not use 'Commercial Law and Litigation Specialty' or any 'specialist'/'special' wording on letterhead…
Can a firm's announcement of a new associate mention the associate's prior non-legal career, such as nursing?
The opinion concluded that a firm may state a new associate's prior background as a clinical nurse research investigator in an announcement of association. The factual statement of a non-legal backgro…
Can a law firm's letterhead identify an of-counsel lawyer as a retired Superior Court judge?
The opinion concluded that a firm may indicate on its letterhead that an of-counsel lawyer is a retired Superior Court judge. Although the former Code would have barred it, the statement is true, does…
Can an Arizona lawyer form an interstate partnership with an out-of-state firm, and what must the joint letterhead disclose?
The opinion concluded that an Arizona lawyer may join an interstate partnership if the letterhead clearly discloses each lawyer's jurisdictional limitations and the firm is a genuine, unified partners…
Can two separate law firms list each other as 'Of Counsel' on their letterheads?
The opinion concluded that two firms could designate each other as 'Of Counsel' on their letterheads where a substantial, continuing relationship that is close, regular, and personal existed between t…
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Legal ethics opinions from the State Bar of Arizona interpret the rules of professional conduct for working lawyers, in response to inquiries from members and committees. They are not binding like court discipline decisions, but courts and discipline boards treat formal opinions as substantial guidance on how the rules apply. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the original source on the bar's site.