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Or. R. Prof. Conduct 8.6

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Rule 8.6 Written Advisory Opinions on Professional Conduct; Consideration Given in Disciplinary Proceedings

Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession

← Previous Rule 8.5: Disciplinary Authority; Choice of Law

Rule Text

(a) The Oregon State Bar Board of Governors may issue formal written advisory opinions on questions under these Rules. The Oregon State Bar Legal Ethics Committee and General Counsel’s Office may also issue informal written advisory opinions on questions under these Rules. The General Counsel's Office of the Oregon State Bar shall maintain records of both OSB formal and informal written advisory opinions and copies of each shall be available to the Oregon Supreme Court, Disciplinary Board, State Professional Responsibility Board, and Disciplinary Counsel. The General Counsel's Office may also disseminate the bar's advisory opinions as it deems appropriate to its role in educating lawyers about these Rules.

(b) In considering alleged violations of these Rules, the Disciplinary Board and Oregon Supreme Court may consider any lawyer's good faith effort to comply with an opinion issued under paragraph (a) of this rule as: (1) a showing of the lawyer's good faith effort to comply with these Rules; and (2) a basis for mitigation of any sanction that may be imposed if the lawyer is found to be in violation of these Rules.

(c) This rule is not intended to, and does not, preclude the Disciplinary Board or the Oregon Supreme Court from considering any other evidence of either good faith or basis for mitigation in a bar disciplinary proceeding.

Amendment history: Adopted 01/01/05.

Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)

This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.

This rule explains how lawyers can get guidance on following the rules of conduct, and how that guidance can help them if they ever face a complaint about their behavior. The Oregon State Bar's Board of Governors can issue formal written opinions answering questions about the rules. The bar's Legal Ethics Committee and General Counsel's Office can also issue informal written opinions. The bar keeps records of these opinions and shares them with the Oregon Supreme Court and other groups that handle complaints against lawyers.

If a lawyer follows one of these written opinions in good faith, that matters if they later face a disciplinary complaint. It can show the lawyer was honestly trying to follow the rules. It can also help reduce any punishment if the lawyer is found to have broken a rule anyway.

This rule does not limit what other evidence a lawyer can use to defend themselves. Lawyers can still bring up other proof that they acted in good faith or other reasons why their punishment should be lighter.

Committee Notes

Defined Terms (see Rule 1.0): “Written” Comparison to Oregon Code This rule is identical to DR 1-105, amended only to refer to “General Counsel’s Office” in the second sentence of paragraph (a), rather than only to “General Counsel,” to make it clear that opinions of assistant general counsel are covered by the rule. . DR 1-101 Rule 8.1(a) DR 1-102(A)(1) Rule 8.4(a)(1) DR 1-102(A)(2) Rule 8.4(a)(2) DR 1-102(A)(3) Rule 8.4(a)(3) DR 1-102(A)(4) Rule 8.4(a)(4) DR 1-102(A)(5) Rule 7.1(a)(5) DR 1-102(B)(1) Rule 5.1(c)(1) DR 1-102(B)(2) Rule 5.1(c)(2) DR 1-102(C) Rule 5.2(a) DR 1-102(D) Rule 8.4(b) DR 1-103(A) Rule 8.3(a) DR 1-103(B) Rule 8.3(b) DR 1-103(C) Rule 8.1(a) DR 1-103(D) Rule 8.1(b) DR 1-103(E) Rule 8.3(c) DR 1-103(F) Rule 8.1(c) DR 1-104 Eliminated DR 1-105 Rule 8.6 DR 2-101(A)(1) Rule 7.1(a)(1) DR 2-101(A)(2) Rule 7.1(a)(2) DR 2-101(A)(3) Rule 7.1(a)(3) DR 2-101(A)(4) Rule 7.1(a)(4) DR 2-101(A)(5) eliminated DR 2-101(A)(6) Rule 7.1(a)(6) DR 2-101(A)(7) Rule 7.1(a)(7) DR 2-101(A)(8) Rule 7.1(a)(8) DR 2-101(A)(9) Rule 7.1(a)(9) DR 2-101(A)(10) Rule 7.1(a)(10) DR 2-101(A)(11) Rule 7.1(a)(11) DR 2-101(A)(12) Rule 7.1(a)(12) DR 2-101(B) eliminated DR 2-101(C) Rule 7.1(b) DR 2-101(D) Rule 7.3(b) DR 2-101(E) Rule 7.1(c) DR 2-101(F) Rule 7.1(d) DR 2-101(G) Rule 7.1(e) DR 2-101(H) Rule 7.3(c) DR 2-102(A) Rule 7.5(a) DR 2-102(B) Rule 7.5(b) DR 2-102(C) Rule 7.5(c) DR 2-102(D) Rule 7.5(d) DR 2-102(E) Rule 7.5(e) DR 2-102(F) Rule 7.5(f) DR 2-103(A) Rule 7.2(a) DR 2-103(B) Rule 7.2(b) DR 2-103(C) Rule 7.2(c) DR 2-104(A)(1) Rule 7.3(a) DR 2-104(A)(2) Rule 7.3(a) DR 2-104(A)(3) Rule 7.3(d) DR 2-104(B) Eliminated DR 2-105 Rule 5.4(e) DR 2-106(A) Rule 1.5(a) DR 2-106(B) Rule 1.5(b) DR 2-106(C) Rule 1.5(c) DR 2-107(A) Rule 1.5(d) DR 2-107(B) Rule 1.5(e) DR 2-108 Rule 5.6 DR 2-109 Rule 3.1 DR 2-110 Rule 1.16 DR 2-111 Rule 1.17 DR 3-101(A) Rule 5.5(a) DR 3-101(B) Rule 5.5(a) DR 3-102 Rule 5.4(a) DR 3-103 Rule 5.4(b) DR 4-101(A)-C) Rule 1.6(a)-(b) DR 4-101(D) Rule 5.3(b) DR 5-101(A)(1) Rule 1.7(a)(2) DR 5-101(A)(2) Rule 1.7(a)(3) DR 5-101(B) Rule 1.8(c) DR 5-102 Rule 3.7 DR 5-103(A) Rule 1.8(i) DR 5-103(B) Rule 1.8(e) DR 5-104(A) Rule 1.8(a) DR 5-104(B) Rule 1.8(d) DR 5-105(A)(1) Rule 1.7(b)(3) DR 5-105(B) Rule 1.0(i) DR 5-105(C) Rule 1.9(a) DR 5-105(D) Rule 1.9(a) DR 5-105(E) Rule 1.7(a) DR 5-105(F) Rule 1.7(b) DR 5-105(G) Rule 1.8(k) DR 5-105(H) Rule 1.9(b) DR 5-105(I) Rule 1.10(c) DR 5-105(J) Rule 1.10(b) DR 5-106 Rule 2.4 DR 5-107 Rule 1.8(g) DR 5-108(A) Rule 1.8(f) DR 5-108(B) Rule 5.4(c) DR 5-109(A) Rule 1.12(a) DR 5-109(B) Rule 1.11(a) DR 5-110 Rule 1.8(j) DR 6-101(A) Rule 1.1 DR 6-101(B) Rule 1.3 DR 6-102(A) Rule 1.8(h)(1)-(2) DR 6-102(B) Rule 1.8(h)(3) DR 7-101(A) Rule 1.2(a) DR 7-101(B) Rule 1.2(a) DR 7-101(C) Rule 1.14 DR 7-101(D) Rule 2.3 DR 7-102(A)(1) Rule 3.1, 4.4(a) DR 7-102(A)(2) Rule 3.1 DR 7-102(A)(3) Rule 3.3(a)(4) DR 7-102(A)(4) Rule 3.3(a)(3) DR 7-102(A)(5) Rule 3.3(a)(1) DR 7-102(A)(6) Rule 3.4(b) DR 7-102(A)(7) Rule 1.2(c) DR 7-102(A)(8) eliminated DR 7-102(B) Rule 3.3(b) DR 7-103 Rule 3.8 DR 7-104(A)(1) Rule 4.2 DR 7-104(A)(2) Rule 4.3 DR 7-105 Rule 3.4(g) DR 7-106(A) Rule 3.4(c) DR 7-106(B)(1) Rule 3.3(a)(2) DR 7-106(B)(2) eliminated DR 7-106(C)(1) Rule 3.4(e) DR 7-106(C)(2) eliminated DR 7-106(C)(3) Rule 3.4(e) DR 7-106(C)(4) Rule 3.4(e) DR 7-106(C)(5) eliminated DR 7-106(C)(6) Rule 3.5(d) DR 7-106(C)(7) Rule 3.4(c) DR 7-107(A) Rule 3.6(a) DR 7-107(B) Rule 3.6(b) DR 7-107(C) Rule 3.6(c) DR 7-108(A) Rule 3.5(b) DR 7-108(B) Rule 3.5(b) DR 7-108(C) eliminated DR 7-108(D) Rule 3.5(c) DR 7-108(E) Rule 3.5(c) DR 7-108(F) Rule 3.5(c) DR 7-108(G) Rule 3.5(e) DR 7-109(A) Rule 3.4(a) DR 7-109(B) Rule 3.4(f) DR 7-110 Rule 3.5(b) DR 8-101(A)(1) Rule 1.11(c) & (d)(i) DR 8-101(A)(2) Rule 1.11(d)(ii) DR 8-101(A)(3) Rule 1.11(d)(iii) DR 8-101(A)(4) Rule 1.11(c) & (d)(iv) DR 8-101(B) eliminated DR 8-101(C) Rule 1.11(e) DR 8-101(D) Rule 1.11(f) DR 8-102 Rule 8.2 DR 8-103 Rule 8.2(b) DR 9-101(A)-(C) Rule 1.15-1(a)-(e) DR 9-101(D)(1) Rule 1.15(a) DR 9-101(D)(2)-

(4) Rule 1.15-2(a)-(h) DR 9-102 Rule 1.15(i)-(l) DR 10-101 Rule 1.0 Rule 1.0 DR 10-101 Rule 1.0(i) DR 5-105(B) Rule 1.1 DR 6-101(A) Rule 1.2(a) DR 7-101(A)&(B) Rule 1.2(c) DR 7-102(A)(7) Rule 1.3 DR 6-101(B) Rule 1.5(a) DR 2-106(A) Rule 1.5(b) DR 2-106(B) Rule 1.5(c) DR 2-106(C) Rule 1.5(d) DR 2-107(A) Rule 1.5(e) DR 2-107(B) Rule 1.6(a)-(b) DR 4-101(A)-(C) Rule 1.7(a)(1) DR 5-105(E) Rule 1.7(a)(2) DR 5-101(A)(1) Rule 1.7(a)(3) DR 5-101(A)(2) Rule 1.7(b) DR 5-105(F) Rule 1.7(b)(3) DR 5-105(A)(1) Rule 1.8(a) DR 5-104(A) Rule 1.8(b) DR 4-101(B) Rule 1.8(c) DR 5-101(B) Rule 1.8(d) DR 5-104(B) Rule 1.8(e) DR 5-103(B) Rule 1.8(f) DR 5-108(A) Rule 1.8(g) DR 5-107 Rule 1.8(h)(1)-(2) DR 6-102(A) Rule 1.8(h)(3) DR 6-102(B) Rule 1.8(i) DR 5-103(A) Rule 1.8(j) DR 5-110 Rule 1.8(k) DR 5-105(G) Rule 1.9(a) DR 5-105(C)&(D) Rule 1.9(b) DR 5-105(H) Rule 1.10(a) DR 5-105(G) Rule 1.10(b) DR 5-105(J) Rule 1.10(c) DR 5-105(I) Rule 1.11(a) DR 5-109(B) & 8- 101(B) Rule 1.11(b) DR 5-105(G) Rule 1.11(c) DR 8-101(A)(4) Rule 1.11(d)(2)(i)-(iv) DR 8-101(A)(1)-

(4) Rule 1.11(e) DR 8-101(C) Rule 1.11(f) DR 8-101(D) Rule 1.12(a) DR 5-109(A) Rule 1.14 DR 7-101(C) Rule 1.15-1 DR 9-101(A)-(C) & (D)(1) Rule 1.15-2(a)-(h) DR 9-101(D)(2)-

(4) Rule 1.15-2(i)-(l) DR 9-102 Rule 1.16 DR 2-110 Rule 1.17 DR 2-111 Rule 2.3 DR 7-101(D) Rule 2.4 DR 5-106 Rule 3.1 DR 2-109 & 7- 102(A)(1) & (2) Rule 3.3(a)(1) DR 7-102(A)(5) Rule 3.3(a)(2) DR 7-106(B)(1) Rule 3.3(a)(3) DR 7-102(A)(4) Rule 3.3(a)(4) DR 7-102(A)(3) Rule 3.3(a)(5) DR 7-102((A)(8) Rule 3.3(b) DR 7-102(B) Rule 3.4(a) DR 7-109(A) Rule 3.4(b) DR 7-102(A)(6) & 7-109(B)&(C) Rule 3.4(c) DR 7-106(A) & (C)(7) Rule 3.4(e) DR 7-106(C)(1), (3)&(4) Rule 3.4(f) DR 7-109(B) Rule 3.4(g) DR 7-105 Rule 3.5(b) DR 7-108(A)&(B) & DR 7-110 Rule 3.5(c) DR 7-108(D)-(F) Rule 3.5(d) DR 7-106(C)(6) Rule 3.5(e) DR 7-108(G) Rule 3.6(a) DR 7-107(A) Rule 3.6(b) DR 7-107(B) Rule 3.6(c) DR 7-107(C) Rule 3.7 DR 5-102 Rule 3.8 DR 7-103 Rule 4.2 DR 7-104(A)(1) Rule 4.3 DR 7-104(A)(2) Rule 4.4(a) DR 7-102(A)(1) Rule 5.1(a) DR 1-102(B)(1) Rule 5.1(b) DR 1-102(B)(2) Rule 5.2(a) DR 1-102(C) Rule 5.3(B) DR 4-101(D) Rule 5.4(a) DR 3-102 Rule 5.4(b) DR 3-103 Rule 5.4(c) DR 5-108(B) Rule 5.4(d) DR 5-108(D) Rule 5.4(e) DR 2-105 Rule 5.5(a) DR 3-101 Rule 5.6 DR 2-108 Rule 6.3 DR 5- 108(C)(1)&(2) Rule 6.4 DR 5-108(C)(3) Rule 7.1(a)(1) DR 2-101(A)(1) Rule 7.1(a)(2) DR 2-101(A)(2) Rule 7.1(a)(3) DR 2-102(A)(3) Rule 7.1(a)(4) DR 2-102(A)(4) Rule 7.1(a)(5) DR 1-102(A)(5) Rule 7.1(a)(6) DR 2-101(A)(6) Rule 7.1(a)(7) DR 2-101(A)(7) Rule 7.1(a)(8) DR 2-101(A)(8) Rule 7.1(a)(9) DR 2-101(A)(9) Rule 7.1(a)(10) DR 2-101(A)(10) Rule 71.(a)(11) DR 2-101(A)(11) Rule 7.1(a)(12) DR 2-101(A)(12) Rule 7.1(b) DR 2-101(C) Rule 7.1(c) DR 2-101(D) Rule 7.1(d) DR 2-101(F) Rule 7.1(e) DR 2-101(G) Rule 7.2(a) DR 2-103(A) Rule 7.2(b) DR 2-103(B) Rule 7.2(c) DR 2-103(C) Rule 7.3(a) DR 2-104(A)(1) Rule 7.3(b) DR 2-101(D) Rule 7.3(c) DR 2-101(H) Rule 7.3(d) DR 2-104(A)(3) Rule 7.5(a) DR 2-102(A) Rule 7.5(b) DR 2-102(B) Rule 7.5(c) DR 2-102(C) Rule 7.5(d) DR 2-102(D) Rule 7.5(e) DR 2-102(E) Rule 7.5(f) DR 2-102(F) Rule 8.1(a) DR 1-101 & 1- 103(C) Rule 8.1(b) DR 1-103(D) Rule 8.1(c) DR 1-103(F) Rule 8.2(a) DR 8-102 Rule 8.2(b) DR 8-103 Rule 8.3(a) DR 1-103(A) Rule 8.3(b) DR 1-103(B) Rule 8.3(c) DR 1-103(E) Rule 8.4(a)(1)-(4) DR 1-102(A)(1)-

(4) Rule 8.4(b) DR 1-102(D) Rule 8.6 DR 1-105

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Bluebook Citation

Or. R. Prof. Conduct 8.6

This Rule Set

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Last updated: August 2026

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