What is Inappropriate Behavior for a Lawyer?
Lawyers are expected to adhere to a high standard of ethical conduct. Unfortunately, there are times when lawyers may fail to meet these expectations and engage in inappropriate behavior. Attorney misconduct may include conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while knowing it to be false, and failing to file necessary documents in a timely manner.
Conflict of interest is when a lawyer is representing two clients with opposing interests. This is considered unethical and is prohibited by the American Bar Association. Overbilling is when a lawyer charges more than the agreed upon fee or charges for services that were not performed. Refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives is also considered unethical and can lead to disciplinary action.
False or misleading statements are prohibited by the American Bar Association. A lawyer is not allowed to make false or misleading statements to a court or opposing counsel. Knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits is also prohibited. A lawyer is expected to review the merits of a case before taking it on.
Hiding evidence is another form of attorney misconduct. A lawyer is expected to present all relevant evidence to the court, regardless of whether it supports or weakens the client’s case. Abandoning a client is also considered unethical. A lawyer is expected to represent a client until the case is concluded.
Failing to disclose all relevant facts is also considered unethical. A lawyer is expected to provide all relevant facts to the court, even if they are unfavorable to the client’s case. Arguing a position while knowing it to be false is prohibited by the American Bar Association. Finally, failing to file necessary documents in a timely manner is also considered unethical.
In conclusion, attorneys are expected to adhere to a high standard of ethical conduct. Attorney misconduct may include conflict of interest, overbilling, refusing to represent a client for political or professional motives, false or misleading statements, knowingly accepting worthless lawsuits, hiding evidence, abandoning a client, failing to disclose all relevant facts, arguing a position while knowing it to be false, and failing to file necessary documents in a timely manner. All of these behaviors are considered inappropriate and can lead to disciplinary action.
