Ethics

by John H. Burman | Contributing Guest Writer, Corthell and King, P.C.

Think about how you ran your legal practice, communicated, and managed your personal and/or professional accounts 10 years ago, 5 years ago, even 2 years ago... Most of us manage many critical functions, like bank and utility accounts, online; communicate by email and text; use automated document drafting software; and even have social media accounts to market our law firms.

Estate planning and business planning clients have changed too. They have access to tons of free and not always legit information online, expect more, and want it now. Yet, legal ethics, specifically the ABA’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct, haven't changed. Should ethical standards for attorneys evolve with technology and client behavior? We explore this issue in this article.