Arizona Supreme Court in Phoenix, Arizona. Photo: David Pinter via Wikimedia CommonsKPMG's Bid to Practice Law in U.S. on Indefinite Hold, as Arizona Justices Exercise Caution
"The Arizona Supreme Court might be thinking about the possibility that a beachhead in [Arizona] would enable federal court practice in all 50 states. And if so, does [Arizona] want to assume that role in the legal market, effectively being the regulatory home to many ASLPs with national practices?" questioned one law school professor.
January 30, 2025 at 06:00 AM
5 minute read
What You Need to Know
- Despite a recommendation from its own committee, the Arizona Supreme Court has decided to delay ruling on whether a subsidiary of Big Four accounting firm KPMG can obtain a license to operate as a law firm in Arizona.
- A high court committee two weeks ago had unanimously voted in favor of sending along the matter to the justices, apparently satisfied in what they learned about KPMG's intentions.
- It was not yet clear if, or when, the Arizona Supreme Court would revisit the matter, but The American Lawyer has learned that the justices wanted more time for review and for additional information gathering.
The Arizona Supreme Court's decision Tuesday to put off determining whether Big Four KPMG can operate a law firm subsidiary under the state's Alternative Business Structure program suggests the justices are leery of rushing into a decision that could have implications far beyond their own state.
Tuesday's proceedings were done behind closed doors in a non-public session, but a court representative confirmed that the justices were not yet ready to move forward on a bid by KPMG Law US, a subsidiary of KPMG US, to offer legal services to clients in Arizona as an ABS despite their own committee recommending such an action. The application marked the first time a Big Four accounting firm sought to offer legal services anywhere in the United States since the start of Arizona's ABS program in 2021.
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