California Bar Revises AI Ethics Proposals After Public Feedback; Bloomberg Law, June 22, 2026

Quinn Wilson, Bloomberg Law; California Bar Revises AI Ethics Proposals After Public Feedback

"The State Bar of California is revising its proposed artificial intelligence guidelines for lawyers, raising the threshold for confidentiality violations and broadening competence requirements after receiving public comments in May.

The amended proposals were approved by the State Bar’s Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct on June 12 after taking a May 4 public comment session into account, the Bar said in a press statement Monday. 

The amended proposals will be up for another public comment session on Aug. 6."

'Snitch' rule adopted by California bar amid ethics scandals; Reuters, June 22, 2023

 Karen Sloan, Reuters; 'Snitch' rule adopted by California bar amid ethics scandals

"The California Supreme Court on Wednesday adopted a lawyer professional misconduct reporting rule that brings it in line with every other state.

Lawyers in California starting on Aug. 1 will be required to report fraud, misappropriation of funds and other criminal acts or conduct that raise "a substantial question" about another lawyer's "honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer."

Adoption of the so-called “snitch rule” comes after intense debate within the State Bar of California, which recommended the rule change to the court earlier this month."

What we've learned from pro-Trump attorney John Eastman's state bar trial; NPR, June 23, 2023

Tom Dreisbach, NPR ; What we've learned from pro-Trump attorney John Eastman's state bar trial

"Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School, told NPR in an interview that those actions represent an attempt by the legal community to uphold professional standards.

"Lawyers hold positions of public trust in our society," Levinson said. "There's a reason that we have to take and pass moral character exams, that we have to agree to certain rules of the profession. Because we do have a lot of control over our clients' lives and their finances and even on larger policy issues."

Levinson said Eastman's defense faces serious challenges."