Virtually all difficult ethical issues arise from an obvious conflict between a lawyer`s responsibility to his or her clients, the legal system, and his or her own interests. The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Ethics prescribe conditions to resolve these tensions. To do this, they establish minimum standards of conduct to which no lawyer can be subject without disciplinary action. Within the framework of these rules, many difficult questions of professional discretion may arise. The Rules of Procedure and their observations constitute a set of principles on which counsel can rely to resolve these issues by exercising sound professional and moral judgment. By applying these rules, lawyers can find interpretative guidelines in the principles elaborated in the notices. [6] As a public citizen, a lawyer should seek to improve the law, access to the legal system, the administration of justice and the quality of services provided by the legal profession. As a member of a scholarly profession, a lawyer should cultivate knowledge of the law beyond its use for clients, use that knowledge in law reform, and work to strengthen legal education. In addition, a lawyer should promote public understanding and trust in the rule of law and the judicial system, given that legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on the participation and support of the population to maintain their authority. A lawyer must be aware of the shortcomings of the administration of justice and the fact that the poor, and sometimes people who are not poor, cannot afford adequate legal assistance.
Therefore, all lawyers should devote professional time and resources and use the influence of civil society to ensure equal access to our legal system for all those who cannot afford or obtain adequate legal assistance due to economic or social barriers. A lawyer should help the legal profession pursue these objectives and help the bar association to regulate itself in the public interest. The autonomous structure of the profession means that lawyers are required to follow strict ethical rules that keep them together at the service of others. These rules, as set out in the Professional Rules, guide lawyers in all aspects of client representation and set out their role as public citizens and public servants of the legal system. [9] However, in the nature of legal practice, conflicting responsibilities arise. Virtually all difficult ethical issues arise from the conflict between a lawyer`s responsibility to his or her clients, the legal system, and the lawyer`s interest in remaining an ethical person while earning a satisfying life. The rules of professional conduct often prescribe conditions for the resolution of such conflicts. However, within the framework of these rules, many difficult questions of professional discretion may arise. These issues must be resolved through the exercise of sound professional and moral judgment guided by the basic principles underlying the rules. These principles include the lawyer`s obligation to protect and pursue a client`s legitimate interests within the framework of the law, while maintaining a professional, courteous and civil attitude towards all persons involved in the legal system. The State Bar offers many resources, including ethical opinions, educational programs, and research tools that can help you practice law.