About This Course
Every lawyer licensed to practice in New York State is required to observe the New York Rules of Professional Conduct. While a violation of a Rule does not in of itself give rise to a cause of action, and is not necessarily a basis for civil liability, the failure to comply with an obligation or prohibition imposed by the Rules could be the basis for invoking the disciplinary process.
While there are many resources available to assist lawyers in avoiding disciplinary infractions, nevertheless, bad things do happen – even to good lawyers. Each year many attorneys are the subject of disciplinary complaints, even if they have not committed an ethical violation. Therefore, it is critical to understand the factors triggering disciplinary complaints, the circumstances frequently attending disciplinary violations, the sanctions that can be imposed, the disciplinary process itself – and how to avoid it.