It comes as no surprise that we as lawyers must avoid violating our profession’s unique ethics rules.

As U.S. Supreme Court watchers gear up for the extended oral arguments in the challenge to the health care law later this month, a new poll reveals most Americans believe the decision in the case will be based more on politics than law.

There are problems with the nation’s federal court system.

Last year, a group of large national and international law firms petitioned the American Bar Association with a complaint about state bar regulation, contending that, given their multi-state corporate practices, such firms are restricted by the separate state bar admission requirements on issues like conflicts of interest, liability and lawyer mobility.

The American Bar Association in February will be asked to endorse a proposed uniform law aiming at new standards for state government websites that host legal materials.

Legal ethics news this year ran the gamut from high-tech – can I friend the employee of an opposing party? – to more traditional challenges, such as attorney advertising and judicial recusal.

As the idea of expanding law firm ownership beyond attorneys inches forward, Wisconsin practitioners doubt the business model will be an attraction.

The American Bar Association’s Ethics 20/20 Commission has proposed changing the Rules of Professional Conduct to permit other service professionals, such as accountants, social workers and public relations professionals, to partner with attorneys to own up to 25 percent of a law firm.

In August, the American Bar Association issued two formal opinions on the same day, both dealing with electronic lawyer-client communications in a workplace setting.

As a small law firm, do you carry out fun Halloween events at your firm like dress up in costumes, bring in treats, or decorate the office? If so, continue to do it because you probably are not breaking the law (and I am sure your firm is having a fun-tastic time).

An American Bar Association ethics panel has proposed rule changes that would make it easier for lawyers to engage in cross-border practice, while making clear that one’s “virtual presence” in another jurisdiction may trigger a rule violation.

A lawyer must be prepared to show that modifications to the terms of an existing fee agreement were reasonable at the time changes were made, according to an American Bar Association ethics opinion.

An American Bar Association committee is spelling out when it’s reasonable for lawyers to change a client’s fee terms during representation.

The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct have no formal ethical prohibition against conducting legal practice over the Internet.

More than a dozen State Bar of Wisconsin members are seeking permission from the state’s highest court to earn Continuing Legal Education credit for teaching a legal specialty course in a paralegal program.

By Todd Etshman Dolan Media Newswires As American Bar Association President Stephen Zack said, those attending the ABA’s annual meeting in Toronto last week would earn an entire year’s worth of continuing education credit, network with leading professionals, examine a wide assortment of innovative legal products and services, see a beautiful city and more. Hopefully, they also heard the end ...

By Jack Zemlicka Law schools will soon be asked to submit more information on the employment status and placement of recent graduates. On Wednesday, the American Bar Association’s section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar adopted recommendations of its Questionnaire Committee that law schools provide information on whether graduates’ employment is long- or short-term and how many jobs ...

March Madness is on once again, but this has nothing to do with college basketball. U.S. News and World Report on Tuesday released its annual ranking of fully accredited American Bar Association law schools. The University of Wisconsin Law School fell seven spots from No. 28 last year to a tie for No. 35 this year. Two years ago, Wisconsin ...

This article is a follow-up to "Continuing Confidentiality in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims," published in the Oct. 19, 2010 edition of the Wisconsin Law Journal.

Direct appeals in Wisconsin are often premised on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel ("IAC") claims. Such claims can be unpleasant for trial attorneys, who feel they have fought hard for their clients under difficult circumstances and often for very little pay. IAC claims are also unpleasant for post-conviction counsel, who take no pleasure in having to criticize their colleagues.

Baltimore - Despite a desire to protect their reputations, defense attorneys must say no when a prosecutor asks them for confidential information to rebut a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, the American Bar Association has stated in an ethics opinion.