AZ Bar cheat sheet

Applicants must establish good moral character and fitness; the Committee on Character and Fitness investigates and may hold a formal hearing before certifying an applicant.

The bar examination in Arizona is the Uniform Bar Exam; a passing score is 273 on the 400-point UBE scale, and Arizona accepts UBE transfer scores meeting that threshold.

Admission on motion (without exam) generally requires active practice for at least 5 of the 7 years preceding application in a jurisdiction whose standards the Committee deems equivalent.

Arizona permits admission by motion for attorneys licensed in jurisdictions that the Arizona Supreme Court determines have comparable admission requirements; the application is filed with the Committee on Examinations and Admissions.

The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination must be passed with a scaled score of 85 or higher; MPRE scores are valid for a limited period set by rule.

In-state law office study: Arizona allows a law office study pathway culminating in the bar exam under supervised study rules approved by the Supreme Court.

An applicant must disclose all arrests, charges, and convictions, including expunged or sealed matters where disclosure is lawfully required; omissions are independent grounds for denial.

Reciprocity for in-house counsel: registered in-house counsel may practice for a single Arizona employer without full admission, subject to registration and annual renewal.

Arizona's Rules of Professional Conduct are in Ariz. R. Sup. Ct. 42 (ER 1.0 through ER 8.5); violations can produce discipline regardless of whether the client suffered harm.

ER 1.1 competence requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary; Arizona comments recognize technology competence in handling client matters.

ER 1.6 confidentiality bars revealing information relating to representation without informed consent, except disclosures permitted or required by the rule (e.g., to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm).

ER 1.7 conflict rule: concurrent conflicts are imputed to the firm under ER 1.10; informed consent confirmed in writing may cure a conflict where the lawyer reasonably believes competent and diligent representation is possible.

ER 1.8(a) business transactions with a client require terms fair to the client, disclosure in writing, advice to seek independent counsel, and written informed consent.

ER 1.5 fees must be reasonable; contingent fees must be in writing, and Arizona generally bars contingent fees in domestic relations matters and criminal cases.

ER 3.3 candor to the tribunal: a lawyer must not knowingly make a false statement of fact or law and must correct a prior false statement; the duty continues to the conclusion of the proceeding.

ER 4.2 prohibits communicating about the subject of representation with a person the lawyer knows is represented by counsel, absent consent of that counsel or legal authorization.

Arizona lawyers must complete 15 CLE credit hours each compliance year, including at least 3 hours of ethics credit.

At least 1 of the 15 hours must address competence issues such as mental health and substance abuse, and at least 1 hour must address elimination of bias or diversity.

Compliance is reported annually by September 15; the reporting period runs from July 1 through June 30 of the prior year.

Arizona does not permit carry-over of excess CLE hours from one compliance year to the next; hours must be earned within the reporting period.

Newly admitted lawyers must complete the Arizona New Lawyer Orientation and a professionalism course within the first year of admission.

A lawyer may request an extension of time to complete CLE for good cause shown; the request must be filed before the September 15 deadline.

CLE credit is generally one hour per 60 minutes of approved instruction; self-study and on-demand programs are subject to caps and prior approval.

Failure to comply can result in suspension of the license until requirements are satisfied and fees are paid, with reinstatement procedures governed by Supreme Court rule.

The State Bar of Arizona investigates and prosecutes disciplinary matters; formal complaints are filed with the Presiding Disciplinary Judge of the Arizona Supreme Court.

Sanctions range from reprimand and probation to suspension and disbarment; the American Bar Association Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions guide proportionality.

A lawyer must self-report a criminal conviction or discipline imposed by another jurisdiction to the State Bar within a defined period.

Trust account violations are among the most serious ethical breaches; commingling or misappropriation generally supports suspension or disbarment.

Disbarment in Arizona generally requires a petition for reinstatement after a waiting period of at least five years.

The State Bar may seek interim suspension where a lawyer poses a substantial threat of harm to clients or the public pending final discipline.

Confidentiality of disciplinary proceedings ends when formal charges are filed; the disciplinary record is public thereafter.

Reciprocal discipline: when another jurisdiction imposes discipline, Arizona may impose comparable discipline without relitigating the underlying misconduct.