FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2010
Contact: Rick DeBruhl, Chief Communications Officer
Phone: (602) 340-7335, Mobile: (602) 513-6385
Email: rick.debruhl@staff.azbar.org

State Bar of Arizona Issues Statement: Clarifies Role in the Medical Marijuana Law and the Rules of Professional Conduct

PHOENIX - Today, John Phelps, Executive Director of the State Bar of Arizona released the following statement regarding the Bar's role in Arizona's newly passed medical marijuana law and its implications on the legal community.

"There have been a number of reports regarding the implications of Arizona's new medical marijuana law on the ethical rules that govern the conduct of attorneys in Arizona.

Although some reports may have created the perception that the State Bar of Arizona has taken an official position regarding this matter, the Bar has yet to do so.

As has been widely reported, this new law has created many unsettled issues across the legal landscape.  The impact of this law on the ethical rules is equally unsettled.  The State Bar of Arizona will review the new law and provide guidance in advance of the law's implementation, currently scheduled for late March 2011.

In the interim, the State Bar will not take regulatory action against attorneys for counseling or assisting clients in the implementation of the medical marijuana law during this period."

About the State Bar
The State Bar of Arizona is a non-profit organization that operates under the supervision of the Arizona Supreme Court. The Bar includes approximately 16,000 active attorneys and provides education and development programs for the legal profession and the public. Since 1933 the Bar and its members have been committed to serving the public by making sure the voices of all people in Arizona are heard in our justice system.

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