IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

                      ORDER NO. 1329

                                   Amending Alaska Rule of
                                   Professional Conduct 1.4
                                   concerning communication.

IT IS ORDERED:

     Alaska Rule of Professional Conduct 1.4 is amended to read:

          Rule 1.4  Communication.
          
               (a)  A lawyer shall keep a client
          reasonably informed about the status of a
          matter undertaken on the client's behalf and
          promptly comply with reasonable requests for
          information.
          
               (b)  A lawyer shall explain a matter to the
          extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to
          make informed decisions regarding the
          representation.
 
               (c)  A lawyer shall inform an existing
          client in writing if the lawyer does not have
          malpractice insurance of at least $100,000 per
          claimant and $300,000 total 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 claimant and $300,000
          total 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 claimant and $300,000
          total."

               (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 claimant
          and $300,000 total 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 claimant and
          $300,000 total."

               (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 claimant and $300,000
          total 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:         July 9, 1998        

EFFECTIVE DATE:   January 15, 1999 



                                   ______________________________
                                   Chief Justice Matthews


                                   ______________________________
                                   Justice Compton


                                   ______________________________
                                   Justice Eastaugh


                                   ______________________________
                                   Justice Fabe
     

                                   ______________________________
                                   Justice Bryner