ProfessionalisâIt's Expected, 1013 COBJ, Pg. 5
In and Around the Bar CBA President's Message to Members
In celebration of Professionalism Month, we at the Colorado Bar Association are dedicating this month’s issue of The Colorado Lawyer to the topic of Professionalism. During my visits to local bar associations around the state, professionalism has been a recurring issue raised by attorneys and judges alike. In fact, the matter seemed so pressing at one meeting that an attorney said, "You judges are the ones who need to take control of your courtrooms." I responded that we judges do need to be vigilant with enforcement, but I also pointed out that much of the unprofessional behavior takes place outside the courtroom.
In a 2002 American Bar Association survey on "Reputation of the Bar, " the public response gave lawyers only a 15% confidence rating—below U.S. Congress but above the media. The 2008 Gallup Poll about honesty and ethical standards of professions rated lawyers at 18%—below bankers and building contractors.1
When speaking to diverse groups of Colorado attorneys around the state, I have urged them to reclaim the term "professional" as it relates to the practice of law. Let’s get past the media’s and the public’s supposed image of lawyers and get back to true professionalism. I believe that can be achieved by having personal integrity, being prepared for the legal task at hand and, most important, giving back to our communities. Let’s once again make the profession stand for justice and the Rule of Law.
Interpreting Professionalism
Professionalism comes in many different forms and incarnations. Some attorneys believe that professionalism is best realized by invoking sanctions for misbehavior. Colorado Supreme Court Justice Greg Hobbs believes it is fostered by providing access to justice through Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1, which states that every lawyer has the professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. To Nate Alder, former president of the Utah Bar Association, professionalism is found through the development of professional relationships: "Good relationships make a big difference in our profession. . . . These professional relationships often lead to friendships that extend well beyond the closing of a file."2
Principles of Professionalism
In 1990...
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