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The Attorney As Advocate And Witness: Does The Prohibition Of An Attorney Acting As Advocate And Witness At A Judicial Trial Also Apply In Administrative Adjudications, Arnold Rochvarg

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In every state, the professional rules of conduct contain a prohibition on an attorney acting as both an advocate for their client and a witness in the same trial. The "lawyer as witness" rule has, however, been inconsistently applied in administrative adjudications. This article analyzes the split of authority in the use of this rule and proposes a solution as how the issue should be resolved.

Ample support for applying the lawyer as witness rule to administrative adjudications may be found in administrative decisions, judicial opinions and state bar association ethics committee opinions. There is, however, conflicting authority that rejects …