This comprehensive treatment of ethics offers practical guidance on lawyers' duties to clients, to the court, to colleagues, and to third parties. Chapters are offered on ethics for lawyers in particular practice areas, including business, estate planning, personal injury, divorce, real estate, and criminal defense. This popular manual also gives you practical insight into the disciplinary process and how to avoid malpractice. A must-have manual for new and seasoned lawyers alike.
Table of Contents
Chapter 01 - Sources of Ethical Authority in MassachusettsGilda Tuoni Russell,
Chapter 02 - Lawyer Marketing
David A. Kluft, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Chapter 03 - Taking the Case: Conflicts of Interest
Anthony E. Abeln, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP
Alan Everett Brown, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP
Chapter 04 - The Attorney-Client Relationship
Jeffrey D. Woolf, Esq.,
Office of the General Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Exhibit 4A - Sample Letter of Proposed Representation
Exhibit 4B - Sample Fee Agreement
Chapter 05 - Fee Agreements
Timothy J. Dacey, III, Esq.,
Goulston & Storrs, PC
Exhibit 5A - Contingent Fee Agreement Form A
Exhibit 5B - Contingent Fee Agreement Form B
Exhibit 5C - Model Fee Agreements
Chapter 06 - Duties to Clients
James S. Bolan, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Chapter 07 - Duties to Colleagues
Gwen Nolan King, Esq.,
Nolan King Law
Chapter 08 - Duties to Courts
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Chapter 09 - Duties to Third Parties
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Chapter 10 - Getting Paid
Heather L. LaVigne, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Chapter 11 - The Disciplinary Process
James S. Bolan, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Exhibit 11A - Diversion Program Policy Statement
Exhibit 11B - Provisions on Reinstatement (Supreme Judicial Court Rule 4:01, § 18)
Exhibit 11C - Board of Bar Overseers Policies and Practices
Chapter 12 - Ethics Issues for Business Lawyers
Holly Jones,
Maselan & Jones, PC
Mary A. McCooe, Esq.,
Maselan & Jones, PC
Exhibit 12A - Letter Agreement Regarding Consent to Multiple Representation of Initial Investors in Organizing a Corporation and Acting as Its General Counsel
Exhibit 12B - Letter Agreement Regarding Lawyer Serving on Board of Directors
Exhibit 12C - Consent to Representation When General Counsel Is a Shareholder or Is Investing in the Corporation on Formation
Chapter 13 - Ethics Issues in Insurance Defense
Anthony E. Abeln, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP
Alan Everett Brown, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP
Chapter 14 - Ethics Issues for Personal Injury Lawyers
Philip N. Beauregard, Esq.,
Beauregard, Burke & Franco
Michael Franco, Esq.,
Beauregard, Burke & Franco
Exhibit 14A - Mass. R. Civ. P. 1.5(f), Form A
Exhibit 14B - Mass. R. Civ. P. 1.5(f), Form B
Exhibit 14C - Contingent Fee Letter
Chapter 15 - Ethics Issues in Intellectual Property
Jerry Cohen, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP
Chapter 16 - Ethics in Estate Planning
Melissa Langa, Esq.,
Bove & Langa, PC
Molly R. Soiffer, Esq.,
Bove & Langa, PC
Exhibit 16A - Sample Physician Statement (Client Competent)
Exhibit 16B - Sample Physician Statement (Client Not Competent)
Exhibit 16C - Sample Engagement Letter for Spouses (Joint Representation)
Exhibit 16D - Sample Withdrawal Letter When a Joint Representation Fails
Exhibit 16E - Checklist for Joint Representation
Exhibit 16F - Guide for Representing Members of the Same Family
Exhibit 16G - Sample Conflict Waiver
Exhibit 16H - Excerpt from “Representing Clients with Diminished Capacity,” by Constance V. Vecchione, Esq.
Chapter 17 - Ethics Issues for Divorce and Family Lawyers
Donald L. Pitman, III, Esq.,
The Pitman Law Offices LLC
Chapter 18 - Ethics Issues for Government Lawyers
Joseph M. Makalusky, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Tasha Marshall, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Chapter 19 - Ethics Issues for Real Estate Lawyers
Adam C. LaFrance, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers
Chapter 20 - Ethics Issues for Civil Litigators
Daniel K. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Gail Kleven Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Richard M. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP
Chapter 21 - Criminal Trial Practice
Stuart M. Hurowitz, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services
Exhibit 21A - Resources
Chapter 22 - Ethics, Risk, and Malpractice Avoidance
James S. Bolan, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP
Checklist 22.1 - Prospective Client Checklist
Checklist 22.2 - Documentation Checklist
Checklist 22.3 - Office Telephone Procedures Checklist
Checklist 22.4 - Confidentiality Checklist
Checklist 22.5 - Conflicts Checklist
Checklist 22.6 - Basic Law Office Requirements Checklist
Exhibit 22A - Multiple Representations Create Conflict Hazards
Exhibit 22B - First American Title Insurance Company Agency Review Summary
Exhibit 22C - Loss Prevention Self-Audit
Exhibit 22D - Ten Ways to Decrease Stress . . . and Avoid Legal Malpractice
Exhibit 22E - Sample Conflicts Check Form
Exhibit 22F - Outline of Massachusetts Legal Malpractice Law
Exhibit 22G - Twenty-four Top Rules of the Road
Exhibit 22H - Discipline and Malpractice Standards: When Rules Catch Up with Reality (“World Series” Edition)
Exhibit 22I - You Mail, I Mail, We All Send Email
Exhibit 22J - “In-House” and “Out-House”4
Exhibit 22K - Sample Client Fee Agreement
Exhibit 22L - Sample Records Management Policy
Chapter 23 - Researching Ethics Issues
Paul R. Tremblay, Esq.,
Boston College Law School
Appendices
Appendices
Appendix A - Self-Audits for Law Offices
Appendix B - SJC Rule 3:16: Practicing with Professionalism Course for New Lawyers
Appendix C - MBA Statement on Lawyer Professionalism
Appendix D - Civility Guidelines for Family Law Attorneys
Appendix E - List of Ethics Research Websites and Resources
Author(s)
Editor(s)James S. Bolan, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP, Newton
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP, Newton Centre
Author(s)
Anthony E. Abeln, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP, Boston
Philip N. Beauregard, Esq.,
Beauregard, Burke & Franco, New Bedford
James S. Bolan, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP, Newton
Alan Everett Brown, Esq.,
Morrison Mahoney LLP, Boston
Jerry Cohen, Esq.,
Burns & Levinson LLP, Boston
Timothy J. Dacey, III, Esq.,
Goulston & Storrs, PC, Boston
Michael Franco, Esq.,
Beauregard, Burke & Franco, New Bedford
Daniel K. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Gail Kleven Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Richard M. Gelb, Esq.,
Gelb & Gelb LLP, Beverly
Sara N. Holden, Esq.,
Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan LLP, Newton Centre
Stuart M. Hurowitz, Esq.,
Committee for Public Counsel Services, Worcester
Holly Jones,
Maselan & Jones, PC, Boston
Gwen Nolan King, Esq.,
Nolan King Law, Weston
David A. Kluft, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
Adam C. LaFrance, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
Melissa Langa, Esq.,
Bove & Langa, PC, Boston
Heather L. LaVigne, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
Joseph M. Makalusky, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
Tasha Marshall, Esq.,
Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
Mary A. McCooe, Esq.,
Maselan & Jones, PC, Boston
Donald L. Pitman, III, Esq.,
The Pitman Law Offices LLC, Newburyport
Gilda Tuoni Russell,
Los Angeles
Molly R. Soiffer, Esq.,
Bove & Langa, PC, Boston
Paul R. Tremblay, Esq.,
Boston College Law School, Newton Centre
Jeffrey D. Woolf, Esq.,
Office of the General Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, Boston
