Del Tosto, Doris

English

Villanova University School of Law: Digital Repository

Volume 26 Issue 6 Article 1 1981 Legal Ethics: Ideas in Conflict - Editor's Preface Doris Del Tosto Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/vlr  Part of the Evidence Commons, and the Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons Recommended Citation Doris Del Tosto, Legal Ethics: Ideas in Conflict - Editor's Preface, 26 Vill. L. Rev. 1119 (1981). Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/vlr/vol26/iss6/1 This Symposia is brought to you for free and open access by Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Villanova Law Review by an authorized editor of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Digital Repository. VILLANOVA LAW REVIEWVOLUME 26 SEPTEMBER 1981 NUMBER 6SymposiumLegal Ethics: Ideas In ConflictEDITOR'S PREFACELawyer's ethics have lately come under increasing scrutiny,both by a disillusioned public and by concerned members of thebench, bar and academic community. Dissatisfaction with the effec-tiveness of the eleven year old Code of Professional Responsibilityprompted the American Bar Association to commission an inquiryinto the Code. The ABA Commission appointed to study the Codedecided that it was beyond revision and that it should be replacedby an entirely new Code. The proposed Model Rules of ProfessionalConduct resulted.The Roscoe Pound-American Trial Lawyer's Foundation, re-sponding to the same concerns, initiated its own examination of. theCode of Professional Responsibility. This effort ended in the de-velopment of that group's proposed replacement of the ABA Code -The American Lawyer's Code of Conduct. The National. Organi-zation of Bar Counsel set to the task as well, and concluded that itwas not necessary to scrap the current Code. They suggestedamendment of the Code, rather than abandonment, as the appro-priate approach.In an effort to examine this controversial and crucially im-portant topic, the Villanova Law Review dedicated its 1981 Sym-posium to a discussion of legal ethics. Robert McKay, a memberof the American Bar Association's Kutak Commission, which draftedthe ABA sponsored Model Rules, presented that group's ideas.Monroe Freedman, the Reporter for the Roscoe Pound-AmericanTrial Lawyer's Foundation Commission on Professional Ethics(1119)1Del Tosto: Legal Ethics: Ideas in Conflict - Editor's PrefacePublished by Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Digital Repository, 1981VILLANOVA LAW REVIEWchampioned the ATLA's cause. Allen B. Zerfoss, Chief DisciplinaryCounsel for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and Chairman ofthe National Organization of Bar Counsel, presented the NOBC'sreport and views. Completing the panel was Alexander Unkovic,former Chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Courtof Pennsylvania, who discussed the practical considerations involvedin administering any code of ethics. Members of the audiencecontributed the perspectives of the practitioner who must attempt tointerpret and comply with ethical standards while maintaining apractice, and the layman who seeks to understand the implicationsof the Code for non-lawyers.The invited guests presented a brief summary of the articleeach had developed for the Symposium, highlighting advantagesand focusing on the differences between the various proposals.Following these formal presentations, Professor Mary Joe Frugmoderated a debate between the speakers. An audience questionand answer session followed. This Symposium Edition of theVillanova Law Review contains the full text of the articles sub-mitted by the participants, as well as an edited transcript of thedebate and question period.Soon the legal community will decide on whether or not toabandon the profession's current governing body of ethics - theABA Code of Professional Responsibility. Should the decision bemade to discard the current code, the profession must then decide onwhich of the competing ethical codes will replace it. This Sym-posium presents the arguments in favor of retaining the currentcode, as well as highlighting the major differences between its pro-posed successors.The articles in this Symposium Edition endeavor to provide ascholarly exposition of the major ethical issues confronting the legalprofession. On behalf of the Law Review, I thank the participantsin this year's Symposium as well as those who attended the oralpresentation, and those whose advice, research and willing helpmade the program and this volume possible.DORIS DEL TosToResearch /Projects Editor1120 [VOL. 26: p. 1119*2Villanova Law Review, Vol. 26, Iss. 6 [1981], Art. 1https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/vlr/vol26/iss6/1

Legal Ethics: Ideas in Conflict - Editor\u27s Preface

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Legal Ethics: Ideas in Conflict - Editor\u27s Preface

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