Review of Legal Resources
| Publication year | 1996 |
| Pages | 51 |
| Citation | Vol. 25 No. 11 Pg. 51 |
1996, November, Pg. 51. Review of Legal Resources
This quarterly department is published to apprise attorneys of legal resources that may be of interest to them. Readers wishing to make review suggestions, provide review copies or write reviews should contact the Editorial Office of The Colorado Lawyer, 1900 Grant St., 9th Floor, Denver, CO 80203; (303) 860-1118. Review of Legal Resources is prepared by the journal's Book Review Committee, chaired by Allen Sparkman (861-2875). For information on the materials reviewed or to obtain a copy, please contact the publisher directly.
The Ethical Family Lawyer is intended as a basic guide for lawyers who practice in the field of family law. It is a primer, or book of elementary principles, that addresses ethical issues that commonly arise in the field of domestic law.
Parley analyzes the ethical implications of the family law practitioner's duties from the first meeting with a potential new client and the initial decision of whether to take on the case, through the completion, termination, or withdrawal of the case. He itemizes and discusses common potential ethical problems, how to recognize and avoid them, and how to deal with them when they unexpectedly appear during representation.
Practical considerations, such as time, economics, and familiarity with the courthouse are considered. Care is taken to illustrate how to document essential decisions and stages of representation, such as the engagement letter (or rejection letter); the required retainer, with a definition of scope of representation; and the termination or withdrawal letter.
The author analyzes predictable ethical issues, such as conflicts and potential conflicts; litigation issues, such as candor toward the court; and the ethical responsibilities a lawyer owes the client. A section at the end provides a factual, ethical basis for the saying about the lawyer who represents himself "having a fool for a client and an incompetent for a lawyer."
The book would be helpful to the beginning lawyer, who should benefit by reading it in its entirety, but also would be helpful as a quick reference for the more experienced attorney. The ethical principles discussed generally may relate to other types of law practice and litigation, but the differences unique to family law practice are analyzed in a helpful manner.
Lawyers can easily review the table of contents to use this book as a basic reference to review principles before an undertaking, or as issues arise during representation. While it would be more helpful to have had the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct referenced, frequent reference is made to the ABA Model Rules, which can then be readily cross-referenced with the Colorado Rules. The table of cases...
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