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Committee approves bill allowing single lawyer to represent related corporate affiliates
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to pass House Bill 18‑95, which would permit a single attorney to represent multiple affiliated corporate entities (parent, subsidiary or sister companies) simultaneously under Arkansas law, while preserving existing conflict-of-interest prohibitions.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed House Bill 18‑95 on a voice vote after a brief presentation from Representative Clark Tucker, who co‑sponsored the bill.
Representative Clark Tucker, District 14, told the committee the measure clarifies existing Arkansas law that allows in‑house counsel to represent a corporate employer and extends that ability to cover corporate affiliates — for example a parent company and its subsidiary — so a single lawyer may provide legal services to more than one related entity without requiring separate counsel for each entity.
Tucker said the change is limited in scope and does not alter existing conflict‑of‑interest rules, citing concerns some lawyers raised about a carrier/insured conflict: "I don't believe that's true because we have law on the books that there's an inherent conflict of interest. You can't represent the insurance carrier and the insured at the same time, and this doesn't change that," he said.
A senator moved to pass the bill; the motion was seconded and the chair called the vote by voice. Committee members signified approval and the motion carried. The bill was recorded as passed by the committee.
Because the bill simply expands which related corporate entities may share counsel and leaves conflict rules in place, sponsors said no further implementation steps were required at the committee level.
