The NY State Bar Has a Mobile App for Ethics. Why Not the ABA or Other States?

Lawyers are obligated to abide by ethics rules at all times – and thanks to the New York State Bar Association , fulfilling that obligation is easier than it’s ever been with a new mobile app that’s available for the iPhone, Android and Blackberry. As a New York licensed lawyer myself, I’ve already downloaded the app onto my phone and tested it out – and it’s just terrific. The search tool is robust and speedy, far more powerful than running a word-search through the clunky PDF version of the rules online. The advantage of having ethics rules available on the go is self-evident; lawyers can refer to them on the spot if they have questions about whether a particular activity constitutes solicitation or breaches privilege, not to mention, read through them if they’re bored.

Meanwhile, the ABA continues to keep its opinions cloistered by copyright and a fee wall. Maryland, another jurisdiction where I’m licensed does the same. Yet both the ABA and Maryland defend these opinions – which govern lawyer conduct – as proprietary investments that only dues-paying members can access.

The NYSBA is also a dues-paying organization – yet it’s made the New York ethics opinions available to all (not just members) at no charge. So, ABA and Maryland Bar – how do you respond now?

3 Comments

  1. Guest on January 17, 2012 at 4:03 pm

    I am not a big fan of electronic gizmos, but I have tried to purchase a book with only the rules of ethics for my state only to find that West, Lexis and the State Bar do not publish one.



  2. Patrick Deaton on January 19, 2012 at 3:11 pm

    It’s part of a larger problem on access to the law. In my state, the supreme court publishes a set of mandatory jury instructions for criminal cases.  An annual subscription to the Web-based edition of the criminal jury instructions costs $250. Shouldn’t these required instructions be available for free on the state supreme court’s Web site.?



  3. Anonymous on January 19, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    In a word, yes!!!



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