Legal Ethics & Professional Conduct

Agencies / Organizations
- Wisconsin
- National
  - ABA Center for Professional Responsibility
  - ABA Standing Committee on Lawyers' Professional Responsibility
    Source of information on legal malpractice claim statistics and malpractice prevention information
  - US Dept. of Justice
    United States Attorneys are the chief federal law enforcement officer of the United States within his or her particular jurisdiction. See also the United States Attorneys' Manual

Complaints

Wisconsin
- Attorneys
  - Fees, Disputed
    - Fee Arbitration Rules (State Bar of WI)
      "Lawyer and clients who are unable to agree upon a fee charged for legal services may wish to consider submitting their dispute to the State Bar Committee on Resolution of Fee Disputes for binding arbitration."
  - Fees, Reimbursement
    - Wisconsin Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (State Bar of WI)
      Fund which reimburses people who have lost money through dishonest conduct of WI attorneys. Learn about requirements for reimbursement & how to file a claim.
  - Grievances
    - Filing a Grievance Against a WI Lawyer (WI Office of Lawyer Regulation).
      Includes instructions, tips, and online form for filing a grievance.
- Judges / Court Commissioners
  - Judges / Court Commissioners (WI Judicial Commission)
    The Commission "investigates possible misconduct and disability" of WI judges & court commissioners. Includes complaint form.
  - WI Supreme Court Rule (SCR) 75.06 "Complaints; Discipline"
    Addresses complaints regarding conduct of circuit court commissioners. Contact information for the chief judge may be found in the Circuit Court Administrative Districts directory.
  - Opinions
    - On Point Case Summaries (2010-) (WI State Public Defender)
Federal
- Attorneys
  - U.S. Dept. of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility
    Investigates allegations of misconduct involving Dept. attorneys in connection with their duties to investigate, litigate and provide legal advice.
- Judges
  - Center for Judicial Ethics (National Center for State Courts)
  - U.S. Code: 28 USC 16 "Complaints Against Judges and Judicial Discipline"
General Information
- Directories
  - Directory of Lawyer Disciplinary Agencies (American Bar Association)

Disciplinary Actions: Attorneys
- Lawyer Status & History (WI Court System)
- WI Attorneys' Professional Discipline Compendium (WI Court System)
  Locate public & private reprimands and Supreme Court disciplinary decisions. Search by attorney name, area of practice, and disciplinary topic.
Ethics
- Ethics opinions (State Bar of Wisconsin)
- Center for Judicial Ethics (National Center for State Courts)
- Ethical Endeavors (American Bar Association)
  Information to help you avoid professional responsibility problems.
Ethics Opinions
- Ethics opinions (State Bar of Wisconsin)
- ABA Formal Ethics Opinions 1996- $
  Free summary; purchase full opinion online.
- Judicial Conference Committee on Codes of Conduct Advisory Opinions
- State Ethics Opinions, etc. (American Bar Association)
Rules / Standards of Conduct
- Wisconsin
  - Attorneys / Judges / Court Commissioners
    - WI Supreme Court Rules
      Includes: "Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys" (ch. 20), "Code of Judicial Ethics" (ch. 60), & " Code of Judicial Conduct" (ch. 60 Appendix).
    - WI Circuit Court Rules
  - Judges
    - Judicial Conduct Advisory Committee Opinions (WI Court System)
      Opinions on the propriety of contemplated or proposed judicial conduct.
    - Judges Officiating at a Wedding (WI Ethics Commission)
    - Judges’ Receipt of Food, Drink, Favors, Services, etc. (WI Ethics Commission)
- Federal / States
  - Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges
  - Codes of Conduct for Judicial Employees
  - 7th Circuit Standards for Professional Conduct
  - State Rules of Professional Conduct, etc. (American Bar Association)
  - United States Justice Manual (US Dept. of Justice)
Rules, Model