IMPORTANT NOTICE AFFECTING MANY OF PBIs ONLINE ETHICS COURSES Revised August 2009 Many of the ethics courses

offered on PBIs Online Campus were recorded prior to the most recent amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct. The practitioner must consider the information and opinions offered in these courses in light of the subsequent changes. The changes are listed here (with hyperlinks) in reverse chronological order.

General Links
Links to the Disciplinary Boards website o Home page http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org o News http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/News.html Links to Rules, as published in the Pennsylvania Code. Note that there is a time lag between the announcement of rule changes and their publication in the Pennsylvania Code: o Rules of Professional Conduct http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter81/s81.4.html o Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/chap83toc.html

Changes in April 2009

As reported on the Disciplinary Board website, on April 16, 2009, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted a series of changes regarding the fees, reinstatement and categorization of the Commonwealths nearly 27,000 inactive attorneys. Link to the Disciplinary Boards announcement of these changes: o http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/newsroom/rules/pdfs/4-1609InactiveAttorneys.pdf Link to the Supreme Courts order and attachment explaining changes: o http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/75drd.1.pdf o http://www.pacourts.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/75drd.1attach.pdf Links to Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement 102, 201, 204, 205, 217, 218, 219, 502 and 531, and Rule of Professional Conduct 1.17, as published in the PA Code (see note above as to currency of items on the PA Code site) o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s102.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s201.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s204.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s205.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s217.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s218.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s219.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s502.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s531.html o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter81/s1.17.html

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Changes in July 2007 (effective Sept. 4, 2007)

As reported on the Disciplinary Board website, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has created a uniform process for eligible out-of-state lawyers to apply for permission to participate in a particular case in the Commonwealth. Link to the Disciplinary Boards announcement of these changes: o http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/newsroom/rules/2007/0718.php Link to Rule 301 of the Pennsylvania Bar Admission Rules: o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter71/s301.html Link to Pennsylvania Rule of Civil Procedure 1012.1: o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/231/chapter1000/s1012.1.html

Changes in May 2007

As reported on the Disciplinary Board website, on May 23, 2007, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an order amending Rule 402 of the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement, concerning access to disciplinary information and confidentiality, to clarify the circumstances under which disciplinary proceedings will be confidential. Link to Disciplinary Boards announcement of these changes: o http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/newsroom/rules/2007/0618.php Link to rulemaking published at 37 Pa. Bulletin 2602 (June 6, 2007): o http://www.pabulletin.com/secure/data/vol37/37-23/1005.html Link to Rule of Disciplinary Enforcement 402: o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s402.html

Changes in December 2006

As reported on the Disciplinary Board website, on December 11, 2006, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted an amendment to Rule 217(j) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Disciplinary Enforcement. Previously, this section had defined the limits of activities which a formerly admitted attorney (disbarred, suspended, or on inactive status) could perform while employed by a law office. The new language makes it clear that Rule 217(j) applies whenever a formerly admitted attorney is engaged by a law firm or other organization providing legal services, whether by employment or other relationship, including as a contractor. Link to Disciplinary Boards announcement of these changes: o http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/newsroom/rules/2007/0224.php Link to the Supreme Courts order and attachment explaining changes: o http://www.aopc.org/OpPosting/Supreme/out/57drd.1.pdf o http://www.aopc.org/OpPosting/Supreme/out/57drd.1attach.pdf Link to Rule of Disciplinary Enforcement 217: o http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/204/chapter83/s217.html

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