California Approves Stricter Rules on Lawyer Harassment, Bias

California lawyers will be responsible for harassment and discrimination—not just by them, but by any employee of their firms—under a package of state Supreme Court-approved professional conduct rules.

The years-in-the-making rules, approved May 10 and taking effect this fall, comes weeks after Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye proposed publicly releasing harassment and discrimination settlements involving judges and court employees. The lifting of the veil of secrecy arrives amid the #MeToo movement revealing sexual misconduct, harassment, and discrimination affecting a number of industries.

A one-two punch in the new Rule 8.4.1 is a provision that lawyers are required to notify the ...