Lawyers USA Online » ethics

Commission on Ethics 20/20 makes small tweaks to Model Rules

W. William Hodes — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:17:13 +0000

Since the Model Rules of Professional Conduct were first promulgated by the American Bar Association in 1983, they have been amended several times on an issue-by-issue basis, and the ABA has twice undertaken a more global overhaul.

On the second such occasion, the Commission on Ethics 20/20 was appointed in
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Attorneys, marketers hesitate to endorse LinkedIn endorsements

Correy Stephenson — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:43:27 +0000

Brian D. Wassom has never done work on mergers and acquisitions.

But someone recently endorsed him for the skill on social networking site LinkedIn.

A slip-up like that is part of the reason marketing expert Allison C. Shields, president of New York-based Legal Ease Consulting a legal practice management and
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Applying ethics rules to ‘daily deals’

Thomas Spahn — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 03:43:25 +0000

State ethics committees have struggled for decades with applying traditional ethics rules to new forms of electronic communications. Among other things, early bar opinions condemned lawyers’ use of cellphones and unencrypted email.

Even though a consensus has developed in favor of allowing such communications, new issues constantly arise. For example,
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N.H. ethics panel approves use of cloud computing

Pat Murphy — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:03:02 +0000

A lawyer may use cloud computing as long as reasonable steps are taken to ensure that sensitive client information remains confidential, a New Hampshire ethics committee has concluded in an advisory opinion.

In the context of a legal practice, cloud computing entails the use of third-party vendors to store client
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Law firms may use trade names, N.J. top court rules

Pat Murphy — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:41:40 +0000

A law firm may use a trade name so long as it describes the nature of the legal practice in terms that are accurate and not misleading, the New Jersey Supreme Court has decided in amending a state rule on attorney advertising.

New Jersey Rule of Professional Conduct 7.5 previously
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Lawyer suspended over poor billing practices

Correy Stephenson — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:53:12 +0000

A lawyer who charged a client for six hours of time to prepare his bill – with an additional hour spent searching for the file – was recently suspended by the North Dakota Supreme Court.

The decision came after years of disciplinary proceedings against Craig V. Kitchen, who was similarly
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Fla. Bar panel proposes guidelines for cloud computing

Pat Murphy — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:39:38 +0000

Florida lawyers may use cloud computing as long as they take “reasonable” precautions to ensure the confidentiality of client information, according to a proposed ethics opinion issued by a state bar committee.

“The lawyer should research the service provider to be used, should ensure that the service provider maintains adequate
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Judicial ethics code applies to social networking, ABA panel says

Pat Murphy — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:30:03 +0000

Judges must follow the ethics rules governing social relationships and contacts when engaged in electronic social networking, an American Bar Association committee has made clear in a new ethics opinion.

“A judge may participate in electronic social networking, but as with all social relationships and contacts, a judge must comply
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Iowa attorneys suspended for house flipping scheme

Pat Murphy — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:36:18 +0000

The Iowa Supreme Court has suspended two attorneys who failed to fully disclose that they were behind the purchase of a home their client had foreclosed upon and put up for auction.

“[George Qualley IV] and [Thomas K.] Bleyhl engaged in a course of conduct that violated multiple rules of
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ABA’s 20/20 Commission proposes final changes

Correy Stephenson — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:42:02 +0000

With the release of a final set of proposed changes to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, the American Bar Association’s 20/20 Commission completed its work last month.

The group addressed major issues facing lawyers, including the maintenance of client confidences in the age of social media, the ethical obligations
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