Attorneys are held to high ethical standards. As such, all attorneys must adhere to the Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct. The Preamble to these rules states as follows: “Lawyers, as guardians of the law, play a vital role in the preservation of society. … A consequent obligation of lawyers is to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct.”
As attorneys, we want to uphold the rules and to act ethically. Sometimes, that means researching the rules to ascertain the exact ethical standard. Fortunately, the State Bar offers many resources for attorneys with questions about ethics.
Ethics Helpline
The Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel operates the toll-free Ethics Helpline. The toll-free number is: (800) 532-3947.
Two staff ethics attorneys return messages from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. They cannot issue written opinions or provide legal advice, but they can advise you on the ethics rules.
Online Resources
Ethics resources are published online at texasbar.com. That page contains a list of ethics resources for Texas attorneys, judges, and legal professionals.
The Texas Bar Journal and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics publish an Ethics Question of the Month. It covers questions about the Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, Texas ethics opinions, and other sources of ethical guidance.
There are also free ethics articles available in the TexasBarCLE online library. Many resources from the library require purchase, but all Texas State Bar members have free access to thousands of articles on ethics.
Texas Lawyer’s Creed
The Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals approved the creed in 1989 with the goal of eliminating abusive tactics within the practice of law and promote public confidence in the profession. The Texas Lawyer’s Creed is not a set of rules to follow, but rather inspirational guidance.
Professional License Defense
BERTOLINO LLP represents licensed professionals across the entire State of Texas. If you are facing a formal complaint against your law license, we understand how much is at stake. We invite you to meet with us for a case evaluation. You’ll meet with one of our experienced Legal Malpractice Defense Attorneys to discuss the details of the allegations filed against you.
“Our law firm helps professionals, like you, keep their licenses when those licenses are under attack by a state agency or board.” -Tony R. Bertolino, Managing Partner
If you have received a licensing complaint, BERTOLINO LLP can help. Contact us today or call (512) 476-5757 and schedule a case evaluation.
Call or text (512) 476-5757 or complete a Case Evaluation form
