Professionalism Page

• Publication year: 2023
• Pages: 0064
• Citation: Vol. 28 No. 4 Pg. 0064

Professionalism Page Vol. 28 No. 4 Pg. 64 Georgia Bar Journal February, 2023

The Plumb Line

The principles embodied in A Lawyer's Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism help us remain true to what should be the normal in lawyers' dealings with their clients, opposing counsel, colleagues, courts, other legal professionals and the public in general.

BY KARLISE Y. GRIER

The plumb bob or plumb line employs the law of gravity to establish what is "plumb" (that is, what is exactly vertical, or true).^[1]

I once heard a speaker say that society cannot let the crazy, the abnormal and the actions that we believe are wrong become the "normal." No matter how painful it might sometimes be to face the circumstances of the day, we cannot become numb to what is wrong around us. This is true of what happens in our world. It is also true of what happens in our profession. We have to fight against the sentiment that "it's just the way things are" when we know something is wrong or abnormal. Becoming desensitized and simply ignoring unacceptable conduct should not be an option.

When you read this article, the first two months of the "new year" will be almost complete. Yet, with most of 2023 in front of us, it will still be the perfect time

One tenet of A Lawyer's Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism states: "The dignity and the integrity of our profession is an inheritance that must be maintained by each successive generation of lawyers."

to dust off your copy of A Lawyer's Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism^[2] and consider the "plumb line." One tenet of A Lawyer's Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism states: "The dignity and the integrity of our profession is an inheritance that must be maintained by each successive generation of lawyers." You might ask, "What does this have to do with a plumb line"? A plumb line (or plumb bob) is a tool dating back to ancient Egypt. Evidence suggests that Egyptian architects used plumb bob-like tools to establish verticals in constructing the pyramids between 2600 BCE and 2500 BCE.

A Lawyer's Creed and the Aspirational Statement on Professionalism also gives us principles to help establish what is true for our profession. The creed embodies principles such as honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, integrity, fairness and civility. These principles are our "verticals" to help us remain true to what should be the normal in...