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ER 1.0. Terminology

Arizona Revised Statutes AnnotatedRules of the Supreme Court of ArizonaEffective: January 1, 2021

Arizona Revised Statutes Annotated
Rules of the Supreme Court of Arizona (Refs & Annos)
V. Regulation of the Practice of Law
D. Lawyer Obligations
Rule 42. Arizona Rules of Professional Conduct
Effective: January 1, 2021
A.R.S. Sup.Ct.Rules, Rule 42, Rules of Prof.Conduct, ER 1.0
ER 1.0. Terminology
(a) “Belief” or “believes” denotes that the person involved actually supposed the fact in question to be true. A person's belief may be inferred from circumstances.
(b) “Confirmed in writing,” when used in reference to the informed consent of a person, denotes informed consent that is given in writing by the person or a writing that a lawyer promptly transmits to the person confirming an oral informed consent. See paragraph (e) for the definition of “informed consent.” If it is not feasible to obtain or transmit the writing at the time the person gives informed consent, then the lawyer must obtain or transmit it within a reasonable time thereafter.
(c) “Firm” or “law firm” denotes a lawyer or lawyers in any affiliation, or any entity that provides legal services for which it employs lawyers. Whether two or more lawyers constitute a firm can depend on the specific facts.
(d) “Fraud” or “fraudulent” denotes conduct that is fraudulent under the substantive or procedural law of the applicable jurisdiction and has a purpose to deceive.
(e) “Informed consent” denotes the agreement by a person to a proposed course of conduct after the lawyer has communicated adequate information and explanation about the material risks of and reasonably available alternatives to the proposed course of conduct.
(f) “Knowingly,” “known,” or “knows” denotes actual knowledge of the fact in question. A person's knowledge may be inferred from circumstances.
(g) “Reasonable” or “reasonably” when used in relation to conduct by a lawyer denotes the conduct of a reasonably prudent and competent lawyer.
(h) “Reasonable belief” or “reasonably believes” when used in reference to a lawyer denotes that the lawyer believes the matter in question and that the circumstances are such that the belief is reasonable.
(i) “Reasonably should know” when used in reference to a lawyer denotes that a lawyer of reasonable prudence and competence would ascertain the matter in question.
(j) “Screened” denotes the isolation of a lawyer or nonlawyer from any participation in a matter through the timely imposition of procedures within a firm that are reasonably adequate under the circumstances to protect information that the isolated lawyer or nonlawyer is obligated to protect under these Rules or other law.
(1) Reasonably adequate procedures include:
(i) written notice to all affected firm personnel that a screen is in place and the screened lawyer or nonlawyer must avoid any communication with other firm personnel about the screened matter;
(ii) adoption of mechanisms to deny access by the screened lawyer or nonlawyer to firm files or other information, including information in electronic form, relating to the screened matter;
(iii) acknowledgment by the screened lawyer or nonlawyer of the obligation not to communicate with any other firm personnel with respect to the matter and to avoid any contact with any firm files or other information, including information in electronic form, relating to the matter;
(iv) periodic reminders of the screen to all affected firm personnel; and
(v) additional screening measures that are appropriate for the particular matter will depend on the circumstances.
(2) Screening measures must be implemented as soon as practical after a lawyer, nonlawyer, or firm knows or reasonably should know that there is a need for screening.
(k) “Substantial” when used in reference to degree or extent denotes a material matter of clear and weighty importance.
(l) “Tribunal” denotes a court, an arbitrator in an arbitration proceeding or a legislative body, administrative agency or other body acting in an adjudicative capacity. A legislative body, administrative agency or other body acts in an adjudicative capacity when a neutral official, after the presentation of evidence or legal argument by a party or parties, will render a legal judgment directly affecting a party's interests in a particular matter.
(m) “Writing” or “written” denotes a tangible or electronic record of a communication or representation, including handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostating, photography, audio or video recording and electronic communications. A “signed” writing includes an electronic sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated with a writing and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the writing.
(n) “Business transaction,” when used in reference to conflicts of interests:
(1) includes but is not limited to:
(i) the sale of goods or services related to the practice of law to existing clients of a firm's legal practice;
(ii) a lawyer referring a client to nonlegal services performed by others within a firm or a separate entity in which the lawyer or the lawyer's firm has a financial interest; or
(iii) transactions between a lawyer or a firm and a client in which a lawyer or firm accepts nonmonetary property or an interest in the client's business as payment of all or part of a fee.
(2) does not include:
(i) ordinary fee arrangements between client and lawyer; or
(ii) standard commercial transactions between a lawyer and a client for products or services that the client generally markets to others and over which the lawyer has no advantage with the client.
(o) “Personal interests,” when used in reference to conflicts of interests, include but are not limited to:
(1) the probity of a lawyer's own conduct, or the conduct of a nonlawyer in the firm, in a transaction;
(2) referring clients to a nonlawyer within a firm to provide nonlegal services; or
(3) referring clients to an enterprise in which a firm lawyer or nonlawyer has an undisclosed or disclosed financial interest.
(p) “Authorized to practice law in this jurisdiction” denotes a firm that employs lawyers or nonlawyers who provide legal services as authorized by Rule 31.1(a).
(q) “Nonlawyer” denotes a person not licensed as a lawyer in this jurisdiction or who is licensed in another jurisdiction but is not authorized by Supreme Court Rule 31.1(a) to practice Arizona law.

Credits

Added as part of Rule 42, Preamble, amended Sept. 7, 1984, effective Feb. 1, 1985. Redesignated as ER 1.0 and amended June 9, 2003, effective Dec. 1, 2003. Amended Sept. 2, 2014, effective Jan. 1, 2015; Aug. 27, 2020, effective Jan. 1, 2021.
17A Pt. 2 A. R. S. Sup. Ct. Rules, Rule 42, Rules of Prof. Conduct, ER 1.0, AZ ST S CT RULE 42 RPC ER 1.0
State Court Rules are current with amendments received through May 15, 2024. The Code of Judicial Administration is current with amendments received through May 15, 2024.
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