AZ Bar case studies
AZ Bar · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The State Bar of Arizona describes itself as existing "to serve and protect the public with respect to the provision of legal services and access to justice." Its website organizes licensing and compliance material into public-facing and professional-facing sections, including admissions and membership, the Rules of Professional Conduct, MCLE requirements and deadlines, and lawyer regulation and discipline. This page is an independent study resource for candidates preparing for Arizona bar admission and for the compliance obligations that follow it. The AZ Bar case studies are 5 cases and about 3,032 words.
1The Reciprocal Discipline Notice Problem
Attorney Dana Whitfield was admitted in Arizona in 2011 and has practiced in Phoenix since, maintaining an active license and paying bar dues annually. In March 2024 the Oregon State Bar suspended her Oregon license for 90 days after she missed two filing deadlines in a client matter there, where she had been admitted pro hac vice.
511 words, about 3 min2The Flat Fee and the Vanishing Client
Attorney Marcus Oyelaran agrees to represent Priya Raman in a contested custody modification for a flat fee of 6,500, paid in full up front. The engagement letter says the fee is "earned upon receipt" and is nonrefundable, and that Oyelaran will "advance all costs" including a 1,200 anticipated guardian ad litem fee.
624 words, about 3 min3The Solo's Compliance Audit
Attorney Lena Castellanos has been an active Arizona member since 2016. She took a one-year leave from practice in 2022 to care for a parent and did no CLE during that year, though she kept her license active and paid dues.
642 words, about 3 min4The Prospective Client Who Shopped
Attorney Ruth Kessler represents Homeowners Association A in a construction defect suit against Builder B. In February, board member Tomas Reyes of a different association, HOA C, consulted Kessler about HOA C's similar defect claims against the same Builder B.
633 words, about 3 min5The Discipline Stipulation Decision
Attorney Grant Halvorsen has practiced in Arizona for 22 years with no prior discipline. In 2024 he failed to communicate with a client for five months during a divorce, missed a deadline that cost the client a spousal maintenance argument, and then misrepresented to the client that the deadline had not yet passed.
622 words, about 3 min