General Information & Guidelines

All ethics advice given is non-binding and intended only to be informational. However, reliance on telephonic advice may be considered as mitigating in a disciplinary proceeding.

The inquiry must be about an Arizona attorney’s own prospective conduct. Inquiries are confidential unless either the inquiring attorney or the lawyer regulation department request disclosure, or pursuant to a court order. The hotline does not address professionalism matters, legal issues, or past conduct; nor does it provide information or advice about anyone other than the inquiring attorney. Advice cannot be given via email and cannot be conveyed through a paralegal or other assistant.

When Ethics Counsel is unavailable, callers are referred to attorneys on the Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct (“Ethics Committee”). The Ethics Committee is comprised of approximately thirty volunteer attorneys and judges. Judges, the Committee Chair, and the Board of Governors liaison do not field ethics calls. Inquiring attorneys are provided with two committee members’ names, their phone numbers, and their respective firm names; advice should be taken from the first committee member reached, not solicited from both members.

Click here to view the Ethics Department and the Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct Annual Report.

Contact Information & Hours of Operation

The State Bar of Arizona’s Ethics Hotline answers calls from Arizona attorneys from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The State Bar’s Ethics Counsel, Patricia Sallen, and Assistant Ethics Counsel, Angela Napper, staff the hotline.

Ethics Hotline Number: 602-340-7284

Mailing address:
Ethics Department, State Bar of Arizona
4201 N. 24th Street, Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85016-6288