Top Ten Legal Ethics Stories of 2013
Legal Ethics Forum has posted its take on the top ten legal ethics stories of 2013. Among them: courts upholding the intra-firm attorney client privilege; the relaxation of rules against …
December 2013 Discipline
These Louisiana lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations made public during the month of December 2013. Louisiana Supreme Court Heather …
Drafting an Enforceable Lawyer-Client Arbitration Agreement
The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently enforced a lawyer-client arbitration agreement even though the agreement (1) failed to specify that malpractice claims were within …
Court-Ordered Sanctions Paid by Lawyer Are Not Deductible Business Expenses
The United States Tax Court ruled on December 17, 2013 that court-ordered sanctions paid by a lawyer to the clerk of court and to opposing counsel were not deductible business …
Florida Lawyers Challenge Constitutionality of Prohibition Against Use of Words “Specialize” and “Expertise”
Florida lawyers have filed suit in a Tallahassee federal court challenging the constitutionality of, among other new disciplinary rules, those that prohibit a lawyer from “stating or implying” that the …
Lawyer Suspended for Failing to Self-Report Disciplinary Violation
The Indiana Supreme Court recently suspended an Indianapolis lawyer for failing to notify disciplinary authorities that he had been convicted for driving while intoxicated. See In re Selig, No. 49S00-1305-DI-345 (Nov. 27, …
Model Disclaimer for Law Firm Websites
A lawyer with an Internet presence should use a disclaimer page to clarify the limited purposes for which the lawyer posts information on-line. While some are (rightly) skeptical about the …
November 2013 Discipline
The following Louisiana lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations made public during the month of November 2013. The month in …
Don’t Play This Misidentification Game During Trial
The Colorado Supreme Court suspended a criminal defense lawyer for a “fraud upon the court” committed by arranging what she hoped would be a witness misidentification of her client during …
Twelve Rules of Client Service
Although this post by D.C. lawyer Dan Hull is old, it is timeless. His 12 Rules of Client Service, a client-centered approach to lawyering, are spot on: Represent only clients you …