Ethics Advisory Opinions

(Approved July 29, 1994)

I. Introduction

On May 20, 1993, the Board of Bar Commissioners of the Utah State Bar approved Ethics Advisory Opinion Committee No. 115, which found that Rule 4.2 of the Utah Rules of Professional Conduct does not prohibit a lawyer representing a private party from directly contacting a government official about a matter involving the attorney's client, even though the government agency was known to be represented by counsel. Subsequent to the approval of the opinion, the Office of Attorney General of Utah, the Statewide Association of Public Attorneys of Utah, and an individual from the Office of Attorney General, Richard L. King (collectively, "Petitioners") filed petitions for reconsideration of the opinion.