IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

                         ORDER NO.   1370    

                                   Amending Alaska Rule of Professional
Conduct 1.4 concerning communication.


IT IS ORDERED that Alaska Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4 is amended to read as follows:


          Rule 1.4  Communication.



               * * * *


               (c)  A lawyer shall inform an existing client in writing if the
lawyer does not have malpractice insurance of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual
aggregate and shall inform the client in writing at any time the lawyer's malpractice insurance drops
below these amounts or the lawyer's malpractice insurance is terminated. A lawyer shall maintain a
record of these disclosures for six years from the termination of the client's representation. 
          
                          ALASKA COMMENT
          
               Subsection (c) does not apply to lawyers in government
practice or lawyers employed as in-house counsel.
          
               Lawyers may use the following language in making the
disclosures required by this rule:
               (1)  no insurance: "Alaska Rule of Professional Conduct
1.4(c) requires that you, as the client, be informed in writing if a lawyer does not have malpractice
insurance of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual aggregate and if, at any time, a lawyer's
malpractice insurance drops below these amounts or a lawyer's malpractice insurance coverage is
terminated. You are therefore advised that (name of attorney or firm) does not have malpractice
insurance coverage of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual aggregate."
          
               (2)  insurance below amounts: "Alaska Rule of Professional
Conduct 1.4(c) requires that you, as the client, be informed in writing if a lawyer does not have
malpractice insurance of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual aggregate and if, at any
time, a lawyer's malpractice insurance drops below these amounts or a lawyer's malpractice insurance
coverage is terminated. You are therefore advised that (name of attorney or firm)'s malpractice
insurance has dropped below at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual aggregate."
          
               (3)  insurance terminated: "Alaska Rule of Professional
Conduct 1.4(c) requires that you, as the client, be informed in writing if a lawyer does not have
malpractice insurance of at least $100,000 per claim and $300,000 annual aggregate and if, at any
time, a lawyer's malpractice insurance drops below these amounts or a lawyer's malpractice insurance
coverage is terminated. You are therefore advised that (name of attorney or firm)'s malpractice
insurance has been terminated."
          
                             COMMENT
                    
               * * * *


DATED:    September 2, 1999        

EFFECTIVE DATE:       April 15, 2000    



                                                                 
                                   Chief Justice Matthews


                                                                 
                                   Justice Eastaugh


                                                                 
                                   Justice Fabe


                                                                 
                                   Justice Bryner
     

                                                                 
                                   Justice Carpeneti