Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

What lawyer doesn’t like getting a good referral? The potential client’s matter fits your practice, and he’s heard good things about you from the person who sent him over. So what are you doing now to get more of the referrals you want? You ...

Like most lawyers, you probably would rather be cleaning your desk instead of thinking about how you should be using social media. There is a significant reluctance from lawyers on the topic of implementing a social media strategy, but the ...

Everyone makes assumptions. You might be surprised, though, at how many malpractice claims result merely from a lawyer working under a false assumption. Take the attorney who allows her workload to grow beyond a reasonable level — she might ...

Businesses of all shapes and sizes set aside time at year's end to review their mission statement, strategic plan and operational plan. Unfortunately, few solo and small law firms see the value in using these particular business-planning tools. ...

In some high-volume practices, a typical engagement can be very small. Some solo lawyers make a practice out of hundreds of single-hour consultations. For lawyers in these consultation-heavy practices, it should be routine to have clients sign a ...

Do you need advice about the ethics issues involved in social networking? Chances are your questions will be answered by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s recent Formal Opinion 2014-300. The 18-page opinion addresses issues that are important ...

I’m always cautioning lawyers about the hazards of dabbling, reminding them that there really is no such thing as a "simple" will or contract. It's not that I want them to avoid taking on matters that lead them into unfamiliar territory. Rather, ...

Accepting credit cards is just about the easiest way to ensure clients have no excuse not to pay your bills.

It was my worst nightmare as a young lawyer.

When sanctioning lawyers who have violated the rules, ethics regulators typically consider a set of aggravating circumstances that can increase the punishment, as well as a list of mitigating factors that may reduce it. These factors may include ...