(a) Definition
An "out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel" is an attorney who is:
(1) Not a licensee of the State Bar but who is an attorney in good standing of and eligible to practice before the bar of any United States court or the highest court in any state, territory, or insular possession of the United States, and who has been retained to appear in the course of, or in connection with, an arbitration proceeding in this state;
(2) Has served a certificate in accordance with the requirements of Code of Civil Procedure section 1282.4 on the arbitrator, the arbitrators, or the arbitral forum, the State Bar, and all other parties and counsel in the arbitration whose addresses are known to the attorney; and
(3) Whose appearance has been approved by the arbitrator, the arbitrators, or the arbitral forum.
(Subd (a) amended effective October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2007, and January 1, 2019.)
(b) State Bar out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel program
The State Bar must establish and administer a program to implement the State Bar’s responsibilities under Code of Civil Procedure section 1282.4. The State Bar’s program may be operative only as long as the applicable provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1282.4 remain in effect.
(Subd (b) amended effective October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(c) Eligibility to appear as an out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel
To be eligible to appear as an out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel, an attorney must comply with all of the applicable provisions of Code of Civil Procedure section 1282.4 and the requirements of this rule and the related rules and regulations adopted by the State Bar.
(Subd (c) amended effective October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(d) Discipline
An out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel who files a certificate containing false information or who otherwise fails to comply with the standards of professional conduct required of licensees of the State Bar is subject to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the State Bar with respect to any of his or her acts occurring in the course of the arbitration.
(Subd (d) amended October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2007; January 1, 2019, July 24, 2024.)
(e) Disqualification
Failure to timely file and serve a certificate or, absent special circumstances, appearances in multiple separate arbitration matters are grounds for disqualification from serving in the arbitration in which the certificate was filed.
(Subd (e) amended effective January 1, 2007.)
(f) Fee
The State Bar may set an appropriate application fee to be paid by the out-of-state attorney arbitration counsel.
(Subd (f) amended effective October 1, 2025; previously amended effective January 1, 2007, and July 24, 2024.)
(g) Inherent power of Supreme Court
Nothing in this rule may be construed as affecting the power of the Supreme Court to exercise its inherent jurisdiction over the practice of law in California.
(Subd (g) amended effective July 24, 2024; previously amended effective January 1, 2007.)
Rule 9.43 amended effective October 1, 2025; adopted as rule 983.4 by the Supreme Court effective July 1, 1999; previously amended and renumbered effective January 1, 2007; previously amended effective January 1, 2019, and July 24, 2024.