Model Rule 8.3: The Argument Against
By David C. Carr American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rule 8.3 provides that “a lawyer who knows that another lawyer has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a substantial...
Tagged: #legalethics #ethics
The Significant Costs of Incivility and the Rules of Professional Conduct
By Alara T. Chilton For many years, improving civility among lawyers has been a serious concern for the legal profession, including in California. In response, the State Bar, district courts, local bar associations, and...
Ethical Limitations on the Attorney “Overachiever”
Ethical Limitations on the Attorney “Overachiever” As an attorney seeking to advance your career, whether within a firm or within the legal community at large, you may feel the “overachiever” instinct to immediately accept...
Social Media Competence: An Ethical Requirement
By Shelly Skinner California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.1 requires that attorneys provide competent representation to their clients. This includes “the duty to keep abreast of the changes in the law and its practice,...
Ethics, Integrity, and the Not-So-Truthful Client
Ethics, Integrity, and the Not-So-Truthful Client You did it! Three years of stress. Three years of late nights hopped up on caffeine. Three years of interviews, internships, rejections, and successes. For so long, you...
Misogyny and Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4.1
By Deborah Wolfe Apparently, in 2022, despite years of progress and women entering the legal profession at a rate of 51% compared to men, misogyny is alive and well — though perhaps less overtly...
How Long Do You Have to Keep Your Files?
By Michael L. Crowley Nary a week goes by without your author being asked how long we have to keep our files in storage. I would like to be able to give you a...
Legislature Chills Non-Lawyer Participation in Providing Legal Services
By David C. Carr Independence is often referred to as one of the core values of the legal profession. This value is reflected in American Bar Association Model Rule 5.4, entitled “Professional Independence of...
Can A Lawyer Respond to a Negative Online Review?
By Anne M. Rudolph The business of being a lawyer is not unlike other businesses in the sense that we rely on satisfied customers (clients) to establish, build and maintain a successful practice. Word of...
Ethical Constraints on Referrals of Legal Work
Ethical Constraints on Referrals of Legal Work Whether you are a new lawyer or highly experienced in the practice of law, referrals of legal work are central to developing a successful law practice. This article...