Most people go into the legal profession to do the right thing and help others receive justice in a court of law. However, even people with the best intentions can get caught up in something that could put their professional license and career at risk.
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding avoiding an ethics violation when practicing law in California.
What constitutes an ethics violation?
The easiest way to avoid getting caught up in an ethical infraction is to be aware of what they are in the first place. Some examples of the more common ethics violation in the legal profession include:
- Failing to keep a client updated on the status of their case within a reasonable time frame
- Seeing two clients at the same time who have opposing interests
- Taking on a case that the attorney has little to no knowledge about, to the detriment of the client
There are, of course, many more examples of ethics violations.
What resources do I have?
Because ethics violations encompass so many different actions, it may be necessary to do some research if a legal practitioner believes they are heading into this territory. Fortunately, there are many federal and state resources at their disposal where attorneys can find answers. Professional associations and the former students’ network of the law school where a lawyer graduated can also be great resources.
It is generally easier to avoid an accusation of an ethics violation than it is to deal with a resulting investigation. Be proactive about preventing ethical missteps.