16.10.2014 BLAW 2200 Ethics Assignment 1 1.) The Georgia Rules of professional Conduct are procedural rules for disciplinary action against lawyers. 2.) Lawyers shall abide by virtually all of the clients decisions, including whether or not they will testify, their plea, and settlement options. This does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the lawyer. The lawyer is not required to assist or engage in any activity that is criminal or fraudulent however, but may discuss the legal consequences of these actions. 3.) The lawyer must keep all information gained from the professional relationship with the client confidential, including information the client has requested be maintained confidential. The maximum penalty for violating this rule is disbarment. The lawyer may reveal confidential information of the clients provided that it would prevent serious harm or death, financial loss, or establish a defense on behalf of the lawyer in a controversy with the client. 4.) A lawyer may terminate his representation of a client if the client persists in a course of action involving the lawyers services that the lawyer reasonably believes is criminal or fraudulent the client has used the lawyers services to perpetrate a crime or fraud the client insists upon pursuing an objective that the lawyer considers repugnant or imprudent the client fails substantially to fulfill an obligation to the lawyer regarding the lawyers services and has been given reasonable warning that the lawyer will withdraw unless the obligation is fulfilled the representation will result in an unreasonable financial burden on the lawyer or has been rendered unreasonably difficult by the client or, other good cause for withdrawal exists. 5.) A lawyer is held accountable as an advisor by ensuring that he or she gives candid and legitimate advice regardless of whether or not the facts or situations are unpleasant to the client. In general, the lawyer does not have to give advice unless asked, but must advise the client if their course of action is likely to result in substantial adverse legal consequences. 6.) A lawyer shall not obstruct the opposing party in matters such as acquisition of evidence, and shall not assist any other party in doing so. He shall not falsely testify or encourage another party to do so. He shall not threaten to present criminal charges to gain advantage, or use any methods of obtaining evidence that violate the rights of the opposing party. The maximum penalty for violation of this Rule is disbarment. 7.) A lawyer shall not act as advocate in a trial in which the lawyer is likely to be a necessary witness. Extenuating circumstances include the testimony relates to an uncontested issue disqualification of the lawyer would work substantial hardship on the client or the testimony relates to the nature and value of legal services rendered in the case. 8.) A lawyer who is representing a client in a matter shall not communicate about the subject of the representation with a person the lawyer knows to be represented by another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the consent of the other lawyer or is authorized to do so by law or court order. 9.) A law firm partner as defined in Rule 1.0 (l), and a lawyer who individually or together with other lawyers possesses comparable managerial authority in a law firm, shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that the firm has in effect measures giving reasonable assurance that all lawyers in the firm conform to the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct. 10.) A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per calendar year. 11.) Invidious discrimination is any action by an organization that characterizes some immutable individual trait such as a persons race, gender or national origin, as well as religion, as odious or as signifying inferiority, which therefore is used to justify arbitrary exclusion of persons possessing those traits from
