California Adopts ‘Snitch’ Rule to Report Lawyers’ Conduct (1)

California will require attorneys to report other lawyers for misconduct under a rule the state supreme court approved Thursday.

The new Rule of Professional Conduct 8.3 is effective Aug. 1. California is the last state to adopt some form of reporting to notify authorities as soon as the lawyer reasonably believes it won’t cause material prejudice or damage to the interests of a client of the lawyer’s firm.

“This rule limits the reporting obligation to those offenses that a self-regulating professional must vigorously endeavor to prevent,” the justices said in a comment.

Attorneys must report when they know of credible ...