State Bar Act: attorney duties.

Assembly Member Kalra's amendment to California's State Bar Act expands attorney ethical obligations by prohibiting lawyers from pursuing legal actions motivated by discriminatory interests, adding to existing restrictions against corrupt motives.

The measure modifies Section 6068 of the Business and Professions Code, which establishes core duties for California attorneys. Under current law, attorneys must not encourage legal proceedings stemming from corrupt motives of passion or interest. The amendment broadens this prohibition to include discriminatory motives while maintaining all other existing ethical requirements, such as maintaining client confidentiality, supporting the Constitution, and employing only truthful means in legal proceedings.

The State Bar of California oversees attorney conduct and would incorporate this expanded ethical standard into its regulatory framework. While the bill does not specify implementation timelines, the State Bar would need to update its training materials, enforcement policies, and attorney guidance documents to reflect the additional prohibited conduct. The measure requires no state funding and can be implemented through existing disciplinary mechanisms.