This publication contains a compilation of policies adopted by the American Bar Association for the protection of the profession's clients and the public. The programs and rules presented in these Model Rules and Guidelines can be implemented without vast expenditure of resources and are worthy of consideration by bar leaders in all jurisdictions. While these Model Rules and Guidelines have aspirational aspects, they in large part reflect actual programs successfully administered in a number of jurisdictions, some for many years.
Included in this edition are the recently updated Model Rules for Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection and the Model Rules for Fee Arbitration. The Standing Committee on Public Protection in the Provision of Legal Services consulted with stakeholders in multiple jurisdictions to determine which practices and rule changes had positive effects in their practical application. The Committee then used this knowledge in recommending updates to the Model Rules with the perspective that new ideas that work should be shared.
The effort to compile these policies for convenient reference is based upon several premises: the practice of law is a profession; professionalism is a fundamental obligation of lawyers; and protection of client interests is at the heart of professionalism. In executing its mandate to enhance client protection, the ABA Standing Committee on Public Protection has employed the Model Rules as calls to action and in that regard, has found them effective.
