“Morals and ethics and law, oh my!” – an historical perspective on the aba model rules of professional conduct

Abstract

This paper discusses the tensions between moral obligations, ethical rules and legal requirements contained within the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conducts by reviewing the history and evolution of the Model Rules and the conflicting societal purposes served by the Rules regarding client protection, attorney regulation, jurisprudential philosophy and social justice. Equally important is a discussion of the parallel development of attorney discipline.