STANDING COMMITTEE ON ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY
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Since 1908 the Association's Ethics Committee has focused
its efforts on the development of model national ethics standards for lawyers and the judiciary and the drafting of
ABA Formal Ethics Opinions interpreting and applying those standards. In 1984 it undertook
an effort to encourage nationwide adoption of a new set of ethics rules, the Model Rules
of Professional Conduct, which were the result of a seven-year project to update and
refine the then prevailing ethical standards. Between 1987 and 1990 the Standing Committee
developed a revised Model Code of Judicial Conduct, adopted by the American Bar
Association and now being widely studied throughout the country. The Committee also
provides consultation to other American Bar Association entities, state and local bars,
law school communities, the legal news media and the public on matters of emerging
interest in the area of legal and judicial ethics.
Model Rules of Professional Conduct “Screening” Amendment Proposal
At its 2009 Midyear Meeting, the ABA House of Delegates adopted Report 109 from the Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility that amends Model Rules of Professional Conduct 1.10 (“Imputation of Conflicts of Interest: General Rule”) and 1.0 ("Terminology") to permit the screening of a lawyer who moves laterally from one private law firm to another, so that conflicts of interest that apply to the moving lawyer under Model Rule 1.9 (“Duties to Former Clients”) are not imputed to all the other lawyers in the new law firm.
Comments should be directed to ABA Ethics Counsel George Kuhlman at 312/988-5000 or gkuhlman@staff.abanet.org.
