Can Attorneys be unethical?

Attorney misconduct is illegal or unethical conduct by a lawyer. Working with irresponsible and unethical attorneys can hurt your legal matter. The major question is “whether it makes sense for attorneys to be unethical?” Of course, not. But attorneys are also human beings and it is quite natural to do things that don’t make sense. In tough times, unethical behavior becomes common which leads to illegal activities and fraudulence such as extra costs and corruption. Regardless the conditions, a professional attorney is needed to optimize an unquestionable standard of professionalism and ethics.

When you pursue an attorney’s services, you enter into a relationship with that specific attorney. For a strong relationship, there should be a mutual understanding between both parties (you and your lawyer). There are some rights and responsibilities that need to be followed wisely. To clear the obligations and rights involved in a relationship with your attorney, have a look at these aspects:

What to Expect from Your Lawyer?

Trust is the base of the Relationship between a Lawyer and his Client. A per the Law Society Rules and the Attorney Act, your lawyer must:

● Manage the highest standards of integrity and honesty
● Treat you and your case with confidentiality and respect
● Act lawfully
● Always act in your best interests
● Update you on the progress of your case

What Does Your Lawyer expect from You?

● Behave like a professional
● Treat your lawyer with courtesy and respect
● Provide complete and accurate information on all relevant facts

Lawyer ethics are essential to ensure a sustainable and profitable economy and it is the duty of each of us to behave in an ethical way.

What is considered misconduct by an attorney?

Wondering “What is considered misconduct by an attorney?” In this section, you will get to know this. There are a lot of things including conflict of interest, hiding evidence, overbilling, improper communication with the client, failure in disclosing relevant facts, misleading or false statements, abandoning a customer, and more, that come under attorneys misconduct.

There is a disciplinary group of State Bar that inspects and punishes lawyer misconduct. Lawyers can do a number of incorrect things but it is difficult to determine the real attitude of an attorney. If you have doubt about your lawyer’s management of your legal matter, the very first thing you must do is ask him directly about it. This can seem wrong or strange but this is just the way your system works. If you’re not satisfied or don’t understand the answer, you can consult another attorney to review your case file and get professional advice on the same.

One of the major reasons behind lawyers’ misconduct is that they are not aware of the rules, and this leads them to make some faults that violate the ethical principles without even recognizing that they are. Attorneys misconduct happens because some of the regulations vary as per the state or you can say that they are not quite so obvious. For example, to call yourself an expert, firstly you have to practice a special law or have to clear a specific test. You can’t say that you are specialized unless you meet these specifications. Whereas, in some states, you are permitted to do so.

Overall, this post clarifies that attorneys can be unethical, although most of the attorneys are not. Be in regular touch with your attorney and ensure that he is behaving well with you!