Policy Legal Code of Conduct

[BAR Association of Redmont]

Bar Association of Redmont

Code of Conduct

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IX. Preamble

Lawyers in Redmont serve a vital role in our system of government. From those who serve within our government in the role of the Department of Justice and the Office of Public Defenders, to those who serve pro se, representing a client, a class, or organization, as well as those who serve as judicial officers. The legal aspects of Redmont span vast throughout our system, it’s a core function of the server. Protecting the interests of Justice, preserving the peace, and most importantly working with other citizens to represent their interests and their businesses.

Not all those who would claim to serve in her name, subscribe to the same values of justice. Thus, we seek to set guidelines to serve in the collective interests of equity. The goal of these guidelines aren’t to create a witchhunt for which we nitpick mistakes of those who practice. It’s to set out a guiding hand for which to operate as a legal professional. What some may suggest is an obvious ethical slight, others would suggest that without statute it is void of ethical liability. We do not seek to shun those who would believe a particular train of thought, but rather provide a source of truth, or at the least, intent- when it comes to protecting the legal field.

Our Code of Conduct and Ethical Responsibilities sets out to create a minimum standard of ethics that we believe the legal field necessitates. We encourage legal professionals to rise above these standards and create stricter standards for themselves, their law firms, or organizations.

Heavily inspired by the Council of Bars & Law Societies of Europe, for which large segments were either directly ported or re-worded to accommodate our field better. There are many sections left out intentionally as they do not fit our atmosphere, or laws, or general practice.












General Principles

Independence
A lawyer requires independence in their work, free from influence of personal interest or external pressures. This independence is necessary to the process of justice. A lawyer must avoid impairment of their independence and be careful to not compromise their professional standards in order to please the client, court, or third parties. Advice from a lawyer is of no value if it’s only given to benefit themselves or in response to outside pressures.

Trust and Integrity
Trust can only exist if a lawyer’s honesty and integrity are without doubt. To a lawyer these are more than virtues, they are professional obligations.

Confidentiality
A lawyer will, as a regular course, receive information that a client would not ordinarily confide to others - and that lawyer should hold that information in confidence. Without a certainty of confidentiality there cannot be trust within the legal profession.

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A lawyer is entitled to inform the public of their services provided the information is accurate, not misleading, respects obligations of confidentiality, and other core values of the legal profession.

Client’s Interest
Subject to all rules of law and professional conduct, a lawyer must always act in the best interests before the lawyer’s own interests or those of fellow members of the legal profession.






Client Relations
Acceptance and Termination
A lawyer shall not handle a case for a party without that parties consent. A lawyer may handle a case in which they have been instructed by another lawyer acting for that party or where the case has been assigned to them by a competent body. A lawyer should make reasonable efforts to determine the authority of the entity instructing them where it may otherwise be uncertain.

In consideration that we’re a hobby space please take time for yourself, self-care, friends & family, fresh air, and sunlight. Real life comes first.
A lawyer shall advise and represent the client promptly and with intent. A lawyer shall take on responsibility to enact on their clients instructions and should keep the client informed as to the progress of the matter.

A lawyer shall not handle a matter in which the lawyer knows they are not competent to handle, without cooperating with a lawyer who is.

A lawyer shall not be entitled to exercise their ability to withdraw from a case in such a way or in such circumstances that the client may be unable to find other legal assistance in time to prevent prejudice being suffered by the client.

Conflict of Interest
A lawyer may not advise, represent, or act on behalf of two or more clients in the same matter if there is a conflict, or a significant risk of a conflict between the interests of those clients.

A lawyer must cease to act for both or all of the clients concerned when a conflict of interest arises between those clients and also whenever there is a risk of a breach of confidence or where the lawyer’s independence may be impaired.

Regulation of Fees
A fee charged by a lawyer shall be fully disclosed to the client, shall be fair and reasonable, and shall comply with the law and professional rules.

Cost of Litigation
A lawyer should strive to achieve the most cost-effective resolution of the client’s dispute and should advise the client at the appropriate stages as to the desirability of attempting a settlement and/or alternative dispute resolution.




Court Relations
Court Rules of Conduct
A lawyer who appears, or takes part in a case, before a court must comply with the rules of conduct applied before that court.

A lawyer must always have due regard for the fair conduct of proceedings.

A lawyer shall while maintaining due respect and courtesy towards the court defend the interests of the client honourably and without regard to the lawyer’s own interests or to any consequences to them or to any other person.

A lawyer shall never knowingly give false or misleading information to the court.
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Relations between lawyers
Spirit of the profession
The spirit of the profession requires trust and co-operation between lawyers for the benefit of their clients and in order to avoid unnecessary litigation and other behavior harmful to the reputation of the profession. It can, however, never justify setting the interests of the profession against those of the client.

A lawyer should recognize all other lawyers as professional colleagues and act fairly and courteously towards them.



Misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Although AI can be a useful tool in the practice of law, it is also prone to being misused as an alternative to carefully conducted legal writing and research. AI often suffers from hallucinations, which often negatively affect what it creates when prompted. If one fails to take proper care when using these tools, it results in flawed, nonsensical briefs and documentation which harm all parties involved, including the lawyer who used the AI tools, the client, the courts, and the legal profession as a whole. In order to help both identify and to prevent the misuse of these tools, the Bar Association of Redmont would like to highlight the following signs of AI misuse, modified from A legal practitioner’s guide to AI & hallucinations:​

• Fabricated non-existent case names, statutes, or legal authorities​
• Distorted or misrepresented facts, quotations, holdings of cases, analysis, or standards​
• Unsupported propositions of law​
• Falsified information about court procedures or filing requirements​
• Blended legal concepts or standards, such as from different or real life laws, jurisdictions, or contexts​

Individuals whose legal work shows signs of AI misuse, including but not limited to the ones listed above, will be investigated by the BAR Council, not necessarily because they are using AI tools, but rather because they are harming others through the way they are using those tools. AI is not a shortcut to becoming a good lawyer, and shouldn’t be relied upon entirely for any legal work. It is a tool that, if used correctly, can help improve the work that one does, but this should only be done once one has already developed the skills necessary to be a good lawyer.​