The Official Word: Ethical Codes for Legal Professionals

• Author: Scott A. Hatch/Lisa Zimmer Hatch
• Profession: Founders of The Center for Legal Studies and developed their award-winning paralegal curriculum in 1980, offering it through 600 colleges nationwide
• Pages: 231-244

CHAPTER 15 The Ocial Word: Ethical Codes for Legal Professionals 231

Chapter15

The Ocial Word: Ethical

Codes for Legal

Professionals

Attorneys and paralegals are considered legal professionals. Paralegals per-

form many of the same tasks as attorneys and have similar responsibilities

to the attorney’s clients. For this reason, as a paralegal, you’ll be expected

to know and abide by the rules of professional conduct in your jurisdiction. In

most states, these rules are very similar to the American Bar Association (ABA)

Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Most of these rules apply to both lawyers

and paralegals.

Additionally, paralegals must follow other special rules that dene the types of

duties they may perform. Essentially, paralegals may do anything an attorney

does except give legal advice, set fees, and try cases in a court of law. Some states

allow laypersons (people who aren’t attorneys) to ll out forms for clients for cer-

tain types of legal matters, like bankruptcy, as long as they don’t give legal advice

about the form and don’t suggest to clients what type of forms they need. And, as

we discuss in Chapter5, some administrative courts allow paralegals to represent

clients. But, for the most part, all the work you do as a paralegal must be super-

vised by a practicing attorney, so you have to abide by the ethical codes and con-

siderations that apply to members of the bar.

IN THIS CHAPTER

»

Understanding the importance of

ethics in the legal profession

»

Reviewing the rules of professional

conduct

»

Appreciating the ethical codes of

paralegal associations