Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.1 · Chapter 1. Lawyer-Client Relationship
Competence
Text — 2026 edition, as the State Bar of California publishes it (read October 22, 2026)
(a) A lawyer shall not intentionally, recklessly, with gross negligence, or repeatedly fail to perform legal services with competence.
(b) For purposes of this rule, “competence” in any legal service shall mean to apply the (i) learning and skill, and (ii) mental, emotional, and physical ability reasonably* necessary for the performance of such service.
(c) If a lawyer does not have sufficient learning and skill when the legal services are undertaken, the lawyer nonetheless may provide competent representation by (i) associating with or, where appropriate, professionally consulting another lawyer whom the lawyer reasonably believes* to be competent, (ii) acquiring sufficient learning and skill before performance is required, or (iii) referring the matter to another lawyer whom the lawyer reasonably believes* to be competent.
(d) In an emergency a lawyer may give advice or assistance in a matter in which the lawyer does not have the skill ordinarily required if referral to, or association or consultation with, another lawyer would be impractical. Assistance in an emergency must be limited to that reasonably* necessary in the circumstances.
Notes and commentary — not rule text
Comment
[1] The duties set forth in this rule include the duty to keep abreast of the changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology.
[2] This rule addresses only a lawyer’s responsibility for his or her own professional competence. See rules 5.1 and 5.3 with respect to a lawyer’s disciplinary responsibility for supervising subordinate lawyers and nonlawyers.
[3] See rule 1.3 with respect to a lawyer’s duty to act with reasonable* diligence.
History
[Publisher’s Note: Comment [1] was added by order of the Supreme Court, effective March 22, 2021.]
Source of truth
- Edition
- 2026 edition, as the State Bar of California publishes it (read October 22, 2026)
- Official file
- https://www.calbar.ca.gov/sites/default/files/portals/0/documents/rules/Rules-of-Professional-Conduct.pdf (PDF pages 14–15)
- Text hash
- sha256 d9f1b36579985eebee07e043f09356c0ffea01755fe65ca4fa23a1909adc809f
- Composed by
- rpc/build 2026-10-22: the State Bar's 2026 PDF (pages 12-71) read by two readers, PyMuPDF glyph positions and pdfminer with the PDF's tagged structure, agreeing on 834 of 843 paragraphs character for character, the other nine (paragraph boundaries only) resolved against the rendered page; 205,485 printed glyphs accounted for; the State Bar's chapter pages a third reading
This rule cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
California Rules of Professional Conduct
Cited by 5 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.1. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
California Rules of Professional Conduct
- Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.2Scope of Representation and Allocation of AuthorityPrinted as rules 1.1, 1.8.1, 5.6
- Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.2.1Advising or Assisting the Violation of LawPrinted as rules 1.1 and 1.4
- Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.3DiligencePrinted as rule 1.1
- Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.6Confidential Information of a ClientPrinted as rules 1.7 and 1.1
- Cal. Rules of Prof. Conduct, rule 1.8.10Sexual Relations with Current ClientPrinted as rules 1.1, 1.7, and 2.1
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.