Professional Responsibility and California Legal Ethics

The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct were adopted by the ABA House of Delegates in 1983. They serve as models for the ethics rules of most states. The ABA has also created an equivalent model code for judges, called the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct.

The Model Rules and Model Code  are available to law students, faculty, and staff on Lexis and Westlaw:

The law library also provides a copy of the Model Rules in print:

Non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access the Lexis version of the Model Rules and Model Code online via Nexis Uni:

Finally, the general public can access the Model Rules of Professional Conduct for free on the ABA's website:

Restatements are unofficial but highly persuasive and well-respected summaries of the law on specific topics, primarily written by law professors, with input from judges and attorneys. 

One Restatement summarizes the Law Governing Lawyers. This Restatement is available from multiple sources:

The California State Bar Act sets out the parameters of the self-governing California State Bar including adopting of rules of professional conduct, authority to make disciplinary decisions, and admission to the bar. It is codified in the California statutes at California Business & Professions Code §§ 6000-6243.

If possible, it's best to access the California State Bar Act on Lexis, Westlaw, Nexis Uni, or in print because they provide:

• Annotations: Notes identifying relevant cases and other sources that interpret the statute, found under the Notes of Decisions and Context & Analysis tabs on Westlaw and after the text of the statute on Lexis, Nexis Uni, and in print. 
• Citators: Tools retrieving sources that cite your source, found under the Citing References tab on Westlaw and by clicking the Shepardize link in the righthand sidebar on Lexis or Nexis Uni. (Not included in print.)

The law library provides copies of the annotated Lexis and Westlaw codes in print and provides law students, faculty, and staff with online access to them via Lexis and Westlaw:

Non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access the Lexis version of the code online via Nexis Uni:

Finally, the general public can access an unannotated version of the code for free on the California legislature's website:

The California Rules of Professional Conduct establish the ethical rules governing California attorneys.

They are included with the California statutes and, like California statutes, are best accessed on Lexis, Westlaw, Nexis Uni, or in print for access to annotations and citators. 

The law library provides copies of the annotated Lexis and Westlaw codes in print and provides law students with online access to them via Lexis and Westlaw:

Non-law UCLA students, faculty, and staff can access the Lexis version of the rules online via Nexis Uni:

Finally, the general public can access an unannotated version of the rules for free on the California bar's website:

California Rules of Court. Includes rules regulating the admission to practice law in California, State Bar Rules of Procedure, disciplinary proceedings, and specialized rules such as client security funds.

California Court Rules are available in the California Rules of Professional Conduct sources (listed above), as well as in the sources listed below:

Legislative History of ABA Rules

Historical Versions of Ethics Rules