{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/20-175.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/20-175.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/20-175.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/20-175.html"}],"law_id":353619,"edition_id":2,"section_id":353619,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-175","catch_line":"Disqualification of collaborative lawyer and lawyers in associated law firm; exception","history":"2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 346.","full_text":"A\n\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection C, a collaborative lawyer is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the collaborative matter.\n\nB\n\nExcept as otherwise provided in subsection C and § 20-176, a lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the collaborative matter if the collaborative lawyer is disqualified from doing so under subsection A.\n\nC\n\nA collaborative lawyer or another lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated may represent a party:\n\n1\n\nTo ask a tribunal to affirm, ratify, and incorporate any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process into a court order;\n\n2\n\nTo ask a tribunal to enter any order necessary to effectuate the terms of any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process; or\n\n3\n\nTo seek or defend an emergency order to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of a party or a party’s family or household member, if a successor lawyer is not immediately available to represent such person.\n\nD\n\nIf subdivision C 3 applies, a collaborative lawyer, or another lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated, may represent a party or a party’s family or household member only until such person is represented by a successor lawyer or reasonable measures are taken to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of the person.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1317473,"text":"Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a collaborative lawyer is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the collaborative matter.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1317474,"text":"Except as otherwise provided in subsection C and § 20-176, a lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the collaborative matter if the collaborative lawyer is disqualified from doing so under subsection A.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":1317475,"text":"A collaborative lawyer or another lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated may represent a party:","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"C1"},"3":{"id":1317476,"text":"To ask a tribunal to affirm, ratify, and incorporate any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process into a court order;","type":"section","prefixes":["C","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"C1","prefix_anchor":"C1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"C2"},"4":{"id":1317477,"text":"To ask a tribunal to enter any order necessary to effectuate the terms of any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process; or","type":"section","prefixes":["C","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"C2","prefix_anchor":"C2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C1","next_prefix":"C3"},"5":{"id":1317478,"text":"To seek or defend an emergency order to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of a party or a party’s family or household member, if a successor lawyer is not immediately available to represent such person.","type":"section","prefixes":["C","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"C3","prefix_anchor":"C3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"C2","next_prefix":"D"},"6":{"id":1317479,"text":"If subdivision C 3 applies, a collaborative lawyer, or another lawyer in a law firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated, may represent a party or a party’s family or household member only until such person is represented by a successor lawyer or reasonable measures are taken to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of the person.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C3"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50634,"edition_id":2,"name":"Uniform Collaborative Law Act","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":13,"parent_id":50619,"metadata":{"child_laws":20,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:53","permalink":{"id":1405095,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50634,"identifier":"11","token":"20\/11","url":"\/20\/11\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50619,"edition_id":2,"name":"Domestic Relations","identifier":"20","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":56,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":329,"child_structures":36},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:30:08","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:49","permalink":{"id":1405077,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50619,"identifier":"20","token":"20","url":"\/20\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":353611,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-168","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/20-168\/","token":"20\/11\/20-168","metadata":false},{"id":353612,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-169","catch_line":"Applicability","url":"\/20-169\/","token":"20\/11\/20-169","metadata":false},{"id":353614,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-170","catch_line":"Collaborative law participation agreement; 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exception from imputed disqualification","url":"\/20-176\/","token":"20\/11\/20-176","metadata":false},{"id":353621,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-177","catch_line":"Disclosure of information","url":"\/20-177\/","token":"20\/11\/20-177","metadata":false},{"id":353622,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-178","catch_line":"Standards of professional responsibility and mandatory reporting not affected","url":"\/20-178\/","token":"20\/11\/20-178","metadata":false},{"id":353623,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-179","catch_line":"Appropriateness of collaborative law process","url":"\/20-179\/","token":"20\/11\/20-179","metadata":false},{"id":353624,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-180","catch_line":"History of family abuse","url":"\/20-180\/","token":"20\/11\/20-180","metadata":false},{"id":353625,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-181","catch_line":"Confidentiality of collaborative law communication","url":"\/20-181\/","token":"20\/11\/20-181","metadata":false},{"id":353626,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-182","catch_line":"Privilege against disclosure of collaborative law communication; admissibility; discovery","url":"\/20-182\/","token":"20\/11\/20-182","metadata":false},{"id":353627,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-183","catch_line":"Waiver and preclusion of privilege","url":"\/20-183\/","token":"20\/11\/20-183","metadata":false},{"id":353628,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-184","catch_line":"Limits of privilege","url":"\/20-184\/","token":"20\/11\/20-184","metadata":false},{"id":353629,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-185","catch_line":"Authority of tribunal in case of noncompliance","url":"\/20-185\/","token":"20\/11\/20-185","metadata":false},{"id":353630,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-186","catch_line":"Uniformity of application and construction","url":"\/20-186\/","token":"20\/11\/20-186","metadata":false},{"id":353631,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-187","catch_line":"Relation to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act","url":"\/20-187\/","token":"20\/11\/20-187","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":353618,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-174","catch_line":"Affirmation of agreement by tribunal","url":"\/20-174\/","token":"20\/11\/20-174","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":353620,"structure_id":50634,"section_number":"20-176","catch_line":"Low-income parties; exception from imputed disqualification","url":"\/20-176\/","token":"20\/11\/20-176","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/20-175\/","history_text":false,"references":[{"id":353620,"section_number":"20-176","catch_line":"Low-income parties; exception from imputed disqualification","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-176\/"},{"id":353623,"section_number":"20-179","catch_line":"Appropriateness of collaborative law process","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-179\/"},{"id":353629,"section_number":"20-185","catch_line":"Authority of tribunal in case of noncompliance","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-185\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":353620,"section_number":"20-176","catch_line":"Low-income parties; exception from imputed disqualification","order_by":null,"url":"\/20-176\/"}],"permalink":{"id":1405125,"object_type":"law","relational_id":353619,"identifier":"20-175","token":"20\/11\/20-175","url":"\/20-175\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/20-175\/","token":"20\/11\/20-175","dublin_core":{"Title":"Disqualification of collaborative lawyer and lawyers in associated law firm; exception","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 20-175","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a collaborative lawyer<\/span> is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal<\/span> to represent a party<\/span> in a proceeding<\/span> related to the collaborative matter<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Except as otherwise provided in subsection C and § 20-176<\/a>, a lawyer in a law firm<\/span> with which the collaborative lawyer<\/span> is associated is disqualified from appearing before a tribunal<\/span> to represent a party<\/span> in a proceeding<\/span> related to the collaborative matter<\/span> if the collaborative lawyer<\/span> is disqualified from doing so under subsection A. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A collaborative lawyer<\/span> or another lawyer in a law firm<\/span> with which the collaborative lawyer<\/span> is associated may represent a party<\/span>: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To ask a tribunal<\/span> to affirm<\/span>, ratify, and incorporate any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process<\/span> into a court order<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To ask a tribunal<\/span> to enter any order necessary to effectuate the terms of any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process<\/span>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> To seek or defend an emergency order to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of a party<\/span> or a party<\/span>’s family or household member<\/span>, if a successor lawyer is not immediately available to represent such person. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> If subdivision C 3 applies, a collaborative lawyer<\/span>, or another lawyer in a law firm<\/span> with which the collaborative lawyer<\/span> is associated, may represent a party<\/span> or a party<\/span>’s family or household member<\/span> only until such person is represented by a successor lawyer or reasonable measures are taken to protect the health, safety, welfare, or interest of the person. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDISQUALIFICATION OF COLLABORATIVE LAWYER AND LAWYERS IN ASSOCIATED LAW FIRM;\nEXCEPTION (\u00a7 20-175)\n\nA. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C, a collaborative lawyer is\ndisqualified from appearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a\nproceeding related to the collaborative matter.\n\nB. Except as otherwise provided in subsection C and § 20-176, a lawyer in a\nlaw firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated is disqualified from\nappearing before a tribunal to represent a party in a proceeding related to the\ncollaborative matter if the collaborative lawyer is disqualified from doing so\nunder subsection A.\n\nC. A collaborative lawyer or another lawyer in a law firm with which the\ncollaborative lawyer is associated may represent a party:\n\n 1. To ask a tribunal to affirm, ratify, and incorporate any agreement\n resulting from the collaborative law process into a court order;\n\n 2. To ask a tribunal to enter any order necessary to effectuate the terms of\n any agreement resulting from the collaborative law process; or\n\n 3. To seek or defend an emergency order to protect the health, safety,\n welfare, or interest of a party or a party’s family or household member,\n if a successor lawyer is not immediately available to represent such person.\n\nD. If subdivision C 3 applies, a collaborative lawyer, or another lawyer in a\nlaw firm with which the collaborative lawyer is associated, may represent a\nparty or a party’s family or household member only until such person is\nrepresented by a successor lawyer or reasonable measures are taken to protect\nthe health, safety, welfare, or interest of the person.\n\nHISTORY: 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 346.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}