Legal Ethics for New Attorneys: Trump’s Attorneys’ Fiasco

Time for a Review of an Attorney’s Ethical Duties to Tell the Truth, Show Candor Toward the Tribunal, Provide Counsel Only on Legal or Just Matters, and File Only Meritorious Claims and Contentions

By Richard Hendlin
Attorney at Law

As judges around the country weigh how to hold accountable the lawyers who abused the courts to advance former President Trump’s frivolous challenges to the 2020 election, two recent cases are particularly instructive for attorneys who wish to comply with their ethical responsibilities. These cases also present a good opportunity to review various State Bar Act provisions and the California Rules of Profession Conduct [CRPC] that are potentially implicated by these recent developments. Read More

Law Practice Management

November 22, 2019

Representing a Client Adverse to a Lawyer’s Own Former Employer

A potential client comes to a lawyer with a case against his or her former employer. The catch: the lawyer worked for the same company before passing the bar.

Legal Ethics

April 24, 2019

For Lawyers, Court Orders Are Meant to Be Obeyed

By Edward McIntyre

A recent State Bar Court discipline opinion underscores that we, lawyers, should take a court’s order seriously — very seriously — at our peril.[1] The facts of the case drive the point. Read More

Legal Ethics

February 27, 2019

When is Presenting False Testimony Permitted Under the Ethics Rules?

By Gary W. Schons

You are a young prosecutor preparing for your first domestic violence trial. Fortunately it’s “only” a misdemeanor charge—domestic battery—Penal Code § 243 (c)(1)—because the injuries to your victim, a young single mother of 2 small girls who was assaulted by the children’s father, were not serious, some minor contusions to the face where the defendant struck her. Read More

Legal Ethics

February 13, 2019

Although California’s New Rules of Professional Conduct Align More Closely to ABA Model Rules, Do Not Forget About the Duty of Confidentiality Codified in Business & Professions Code section 6068(e)(1)

By Andrew A. Servais

As most know, on November 1, 2018, 69 new California Rules of Professional Conduct replaced 46 current Rules of Professional Conduct in an effort to bring the California Rules in closer alignment with ABA Model Rules. Read More

Tagged: ethics

Legal Ethics for New Attorneys: Trump’s Attorneys’ Fiasco

Legal Ethics for New Attorneys: Trump’s Attorneys’ Fiasco

Time for a Review of an Attorney’s Ethical Duties to Tell the Truth, Show Candor Toward the Tribunal, Provide Counsel Only on Legal or Just Matters, and File Only Meritorious Claims and Contentions

Representing a Client Adverse to a Lawyer’s Own Former Employer

For Lawyers, Court Orders Are Meant to Be Obeyed

When is Presenting False Testimony Permitted Under the Ethics Rules?

Although California’s New Rules of Professional Conduct Align More Closely to ABA Model Rules, Do Not Forget About the Duty of Confidentiality Codified in Business & Professions Code section 6068(e)(1)

NLD For the Record

Ethics in Brief