As California changes ethics rules, surveyed lawyers express concern about integrity of the profession

Lawyers who back ethics reform are most concerned about maintaining the integrity of the legal profession, according to a survey by Bloomberg Law.

Sep 22, 2023 8:27 AM CDT

Do this, not that, when preparing witnesses and during testimony, new ABA ethics opinion says

Lawyers have a duty to prepare and guide witnesses, but attorneys can’t coach a witness in a way that interferes with the integrity of the justice system and obstructs another party’s access to evidence, according to an ethics opinion released Wednesday by the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility.

Sep 6, 2023 10:44 AM CDT

Lawyer thought fake-client tactic was an acceptable strategy, she tells disciplinary commission

A North Carolina lawyer told a disciplinary commission that she thought that substituting a litigant for her criminal client during an arraignment was “an acceptable strategy.”

Aug 31, 2023 3:29 PM CDT

Referee faults Florida Bar probe of lawyer accused of improperly soliciting hurricane clients

A Florida partner with a Louisiana law firm did not improperly solicit Florida clients after Hurricane Ian and did not attempt to mislead the public about the nature of a truck, a trailer and a tent set up in a parking lot for client meetings, according to a referee in an ethics case.

Aug 15, 2023 8:29 AM CDT

ABA House amends Model Rule to address anti-money-laundering efforts

After a contentious debate, the ABA House of Delegates approved amendments to ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.16, which covers declining or terminating representation, at the ABA Annual Meeting in Denver on Tuesday.

Aug 8, 2023 4:25 PM CDT

Role of nonlawyer assistants in client intake addressed in new ABA ethics opinion

Lawyers may train nonlawyer legal assistants to handle client intake matters, but they must ensure that such assistants’ conduct is compatible with the lawyer’s professional obligations, including giving clients an opportunity to consult with the lawyer about questions, according to an ethics opinion from the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released Wednesday.

Jun 7, 2023 10:07 AM CDT

Bar admission denied for applicant who rose to law firm partnership without law license

A New York appeals court has denied bar admission to a 2000 law graduate who practiced law for nearly 10 years without a license, rising to law firm partnership.

Jun 6, 2023 9:36 AM CDT

Ex-lawyer Murdaugh, in prison for murder, is charged with stealing from clients

A disbarred lawyer who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife and one of his sons has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly stealing money from clients and his housekeeper’s family.

May 26, 2023 12:08 PM CDT

New ABA ethics opinion warns about handling retainer and other fees

Lawyers may not generally avoid the obligation to place client funds into a trust account upon receipt, according to an ethics opinion from the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released Wednesday.

May 3, 2023 10:05 AM CDT

Lawyer who sought client relationship with ‘daddy/daughter dynamic’ gets suspension

A Lancaster, Ohio, lawyer has been suspended after texting a client that he would like to share a “daddy/daughter dynamic” with her “in and out of the bedroom.”

May 2, 2023 12:45 PM CDT

Lawyers suspended for copying client data, unilaterally notifying clients about new firm

Two Florida associates who hoped to take their clients with them when they left their personal injury law firm have been suspended from law practice for violating bar rules during that process.

Apr 25, 2023 12:04 PM CDT

Trump’s $500M suit against Michael Cohen alleges ‘multiple breaches of fiduciary duty’

Former President Donald Trump has filed a $500 million lawsuit against his former lawyer Michael Cohen for allegedly revealing client confidences and spreading falsehoods about him.

Apr 13, 2023 8:43 AM CDT

Associate uploaded over 7,900 documents to external Dropbox before quitting, Littler alleges

Updated: Littler Mendelson is accusing a “disgruntled” associate of uploading more than 7,900 documents to an external Dropbox in February.

Mar 23, 2023 3:44 PM CDT

86-year-old lawyer caught on video groping multiple clients avoids disbarment

An 86-year-old Missouri lawyer has been suspended, but not disbarred, for groping five clients and touching another on the buttocks—all incidents that were caught on video.

Mar 23, 2023 10:05 AM CDT

Preventive Law: Helping your clients before push comes to shove

Rare is the client who looks to litigators, alternative dispute resolution specialists or even corporate counsel as the “go to” persons for providing services that will prevent disputes. Most attorneys serve their clients by representing them in disputes that are already or soon to be underway, with a focus on billable negotiation, mediation, arbitration or litigation representation. When it comes to employee and manager education, skills training and systemic dispute prevention, business leaders look not to their attorney advocates but to a potpourri of human relations consultants, trainers and behavioral science experts.

Mar 21, 2023 10:14 AM CDT