Ethics & Professionalism - Law Society of Alberta

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Ethics & Professionalism

Legal ethics are principles and values which, along with conduct rules and common law, regulate a lawyer's behavior.

Resource	Summary
CPD Tips: Ethics and Professionalism	This competency requires a lawyer to possess not only knowledge of legal ethics but the skill to apply legal ethics in practice and conduct him or herself with professionalism as a representative of the Court and the justice system in Alberta.
An Ethical Trap: Dealing With Unmerited Fee Complaints	It’s unethical to settle a fee dispute in exchange for the client’s promise not to report a complaint or to withdraw a Law Society complaint.
Avoid the Penalty Box	The top recent insurance claims trends (inspired by the names of NHL teams).
Code of Conduct: Guidance on Ethical and Practice Management Issues	Originally published in the CBA Law Matters on Feb. 19, 2021 In delivering legal services in Alberta, lawyers have to be aware of and comply with the Legal Profession Act, the Code of Conduct, and the Rules of the Law Society of Alberta.
Communicating with the Court	Lawyers frequently call the Practice Advisors’ Office to discuss the ethics of communicating with the court.
Conflicts Essentials	Webinar
COVID-19 FAQ	The Law Society has developed the following guidance for lawyers to support them in the delivery of legal services in the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an unprecedented situation, and flexibility and diligence is required to ensure continuity of essential legal services without risk to public health.
Detecting Identity Fraud	Due to recent incidents of identity fraud, it is important to investigate this question if your newest client is such a borrower.
Employee Theft on the Rise: Are You At Risk?	Employee theft exposes lawyers and law firms to personal financial risk.
Ethical and Effective Advertising	The best legal advertising is memorable, informative and assists members of the public to find lawyers who can help them with their legal problems.
Ethical Considerations Regarding Requests for Wills	When a lawyer receives a request to provide a will to someone other than the testator, the lawyer’s duty of confidentiality to the testator should guide how to respond and what information can be disclosed.
Ethical Queries and Quandaries: Issues Commonly Raised With Practice Advisors	From the Winter 2019 Edition of CBA – Alberta Branch Law Matters The Practice Advisors see many of the same issues arising across the full spectrum of practice areas.
Legal Research: Guidance for Inactive Lawyers	Each year, the Law Society of Alberta receives questions about whether lawyers can provide legal research services under their current membership status.
LinkedIn: Maintaining Authenticity in Your Online Profile	When you accept and publish LinkedIn endorsements that are suspect, are you violating the Law Society of Alberta’s Code of Conduct?
Mental Health in the Legal Profession: Your Obligations and How to Help	If you suspect a mental health issue is affecting another lawyer’s practice, what should you do?
Navigating Not-For-Profits	The Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s Model Code of Professional Conduct encourages lawyers to act as directors of not-for-profit and charitable organizations.
Original Wills: Privilege and Lien Issues	Although it is recommended that lawyers give original wills to the testator client with appropriate instructions for storage, they sometimes remain in the lawyer’s file or vault.
Paying Practice Debts	A lawyer has a duty to carry on the practice of law and discharge all responsibilities to clients, tribunals, the public and other members of the profession honourably and with integrity.
Privacy Breached: Now What?	For hackers, lawyers represent a high value target. Billions of dollars flow through Alberta lawyers’ trust accounts every year
Real Estate Air Conditioning Units and Window Wells on Real Property Reports Recommended Rules Of Practice Respecting Real Property Reports	CBA Reports
Recording Virtual Court Proceedings	Virtual examinations and trials afford great opportunities to deliver legal services in an efficient, client-centered way. Lawyers need to be mindful of their ethical obligations during these proceedings.
Signing Court Orders	Lawyers owe a duty to the court to sign orders to which they have agreed or which have been granted by the court.
Solicitor-Client Privilege and Demands for Disclosure	In response to inquiries from lawyers regarding demands for disclosure, the Law Society of Alberta developed a position statement to provide guidance when they are faced with such demands.
Top Five Ways to Avoid Falling Into the Mortgage Fraud Trap	Given the recent economic climate, fraudsters may be on the lookout for ways to target unsuspecting lawyers.
Top Ten Ways to Avoid Law Society Complaints	Provide your clients with realistic timelines for their matter, and update those timelines when things change.
The Code of Conduct and Your Staff	A skilled legal assistant makes for happier clients, happier lawyers and, often, a better bottom line. With this in mind, you must also empower your legal support staff with the knowledge they need to succeed.
Trust Conditions Guidelines	Alberta lawyers appreciated the format of the previous Code rules respecting trust conditions – a familiar checklist or guide for working through trust conditions issues.
Understanding and Avoiding Law Society Complaints	This article addresses the common issues that face practicing lawyers, and concludes with a list of tips and resources found on our website.
Untying the Knot: Withdrawing from a Client	Lawyers frequently ask the Practice Advisors whether circumstances justify firing a client. Even if the answer is yes, sometimes the lawyer is obligated to continue acting.
What Can a Student-at-law Do?	You will see that the right to give legal advice and appear before courts turns upon being a lawyer, barrister, solicitor, member of the bar, advocate, avocat, attorney, agent, counsel or officer of the court.
When a Lawyer Leaves a Firm	Lawyers are no longer committed to the same firm for their whole careers, and regularly move to new firms or leave to start their own practices.
Working Remotely – Applying the National Mobility Rules	In the past, with limited exceptions, lawyers could only practise in a given province if they were members of that province’s law society. The result was a fragmented legal system with costly barriers to the delivery of legal services. This changed with the National Mobility Agreement.

*Educational resources in this section are intended for the legal profession as an aid and are not intended to constitute legal or other professional advice. Readers must exercise their professional judgment about the accuracy, utility and applicability of the material. The Law Society of Alberta and Alberta Lawyers Indemnity Association (ALIA) accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions in any resource. If you find any information that is unclear, inaccurate or outdated, please send an email with details to Education.

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