Do you need advice on an ethics question? Want an out-of-the-box solution? The American Bar Association has a service for all attorneys, whether or not they are members of the Association. Their service is called ETHICSearch and here's how their site describes it:
"ETHICSearch is a fast and economical way to find the right resources to help resolve your ethics questions. Staffed by lawyers experienced in legal ethics research, you'll receive citations to relevant ABA rules, opinions, and other ethics resources. Lawyers, law students, law clerks, and others with legal ethics questions will find ETHICSearch a valuable resource.
"Most searches are free of charge! There's no charge for an initial consultation or if the ETHICSearch lawyer can answer your question immediately. If you ask for additional research, you will be charged an hourly rate of $30.00 for members of the Center for Professional Responsibility, $45.00 for other ABA members, and $60 for non-members. The minimum charge is $15.00.
"Most inquiries are handled on a same-day basis. Expedited same day service and fax and mailing services can also be arranged.
"To get started, call 800-285-2221, fax your ethics questions to 312-988-5491, or send an e-mail to ethicsearch@staff.abanet.org. You can also write to us at ETHICSearch, ABA Center for Professional Responsibility, 541 North Fairbanks Court, Chicago, IL. 60611-3314."
The ABA site also lists links that have additional resources. You can find links to even more resources on the site of the Circuit Court of Cook County Illinois. Its site includes links to a Cornell Law School's ethics site, to ethics on FindLaw.com, and to legalethics.com.
If you want to do even more research on the web, there is an excellent article by Robert J. Ambrogi on "Top Sites: In Search of Ethics on the Internet" which was published in the ABA's March 2003 issue of Law Practice Management. The article not only describes in some detail most of the sites listed above, but it also describes some additional sites.
You may not have an ethics questions now, but eventually an issue will probably pop up in a case, perhaps one involving your opposing attorney. The ABA may be a way to obtain quick and inexpensive (if not free) advice. If you need more information, the other resources described above may help you find a solution.
Posted by ajlevy at January 16, 2004 11:33 AM