Law Commons^™

Zealous Representation Bound: The Intersection Of The Ethical Codes And The Criminal Law, Bruce A. Green

Faculty Scholarship

Professional codes adopted by states and based on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the Model Code of Professional Responsibility govern lawyers' conduct. The ethical codes, however, fail to address many ethical questions confronting lawyers. In this Article, Professor Bruce Green highlights the ethical codes' weaknesses, particularly as they relate to the conduct of criminal defense attorneys. As he describes, the ethical codes require advocates to represent their clients "zealously," but, at the same time, "within the bounds of the law." When the codes do not proscribe conduct that would advance their clients' causes, conscientious advocates must consider whether …

Kentucky's New Rules Of Professional Conduct For Lawyers, Eugene R. Gaetke

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

On July 12, 1989, the Kentucky Supreme Court adopted its own version of the American Bar Association's 1983 Model Rules of Professional Conduct as the body of disciplinary law applicable to lawyers practicing in the state. These new rules constitute a major improvement in the state's law of legal ethics. Their adoption should be considered a victory for Kentucky lawyers and, more importantly, a victory for the people of the state, the ultimate beneficiaries of the regulation of the legal profession.

As with most victories, the adoption of the new rules was not unequivocally positive. Kentucky's version of the Model …