Professional ethics for lawyers

Abstract

The word "ethics" is defined in Webster's New International Dictionary as follows - "of or relating to moral action, motive or character, as ethical emotion; also treating of moral feelings, duties or conduct; containing percepts of morality; moral. The secondary definition is "professionally right or befitting; conforming to professional standards of condcut. In the same dictionary the word "unethical" is defined as "not ethical, hence not according to business or professional standards. Thus in both the primary and secondary meanings, the underlying concept of the word "ethical" is moral or proper conduct and character. "Legal ethics" is defined in Ballentine's Law Dictionary (1930) as the usages and customs among members of the legal profession involving their moral and professional duties to one another other towards the clients and towards the courts" and in Black's Law Dictionary as "that branch of moral science which treats of the duties which a member of the legal profession owes to the public, to the court, to his professional brethren and to his client."