Legal Ethics and Legal Profession Research Guide

For the purpose of legal research, there are two kinds of ethical codes in the United States: model codes and state codes. Model Codes are the ethical rules for lawyers proposed by the American Bar Association.  These rules do not have the effect of law, but versions of these rules have been adopted and made into law by the states and the District of Columbia, which makes discussions and analyses of the model rules relevant to many local ethics proceedings. 

The current model codes are called the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, but previous codes have had different titles:

• Model Rules of Professional Conduct (1983-present).  These are the current model ethical rules of the American Bar Association (ABA).
• Model Code of Professional Responsibility (1969-1983).  This code was promulgated by the ABA in 1969 and adopted by courts in almost all states.  Today, some states have not adopted the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and still have ethical codes based on this model code.
• Canons of Professional Ethics (1908-1969).  The first code of ethics adopted by the ABA.  Widespread dissatisfaction with this code led the ABA to adopt a new code in 1969.

Promulgated in 1983 (KF305.A2 A4 1983) and adopted in some form by many states and the District of Columbia.  An electronic version of the Model Rules is available on the ABA's website, Lexis, and Westlaw. Annotations and other information about the rules can be found in the sources listed below.

• American Bar Association, Annotated Model Rules of Professional Conduct
  • Annotated Model Rules of Professional Conduct on Westlaw (9th ed. 2019)
  • Annotated Model Rules of Professional Conduct, print versions (KF305.A2 .A56)

This annotated version contains the full text of the rules and provides extensive citations to cases, articles, and books discussing the issues arising under each rule.

• ABA/Bloomberg Law Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct
  • Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct (KF305.A8 A116)
    • Regularly updated - includes (i) an unannotated copy of the Model Rules, (ii) a list of the states that have adopted all or part of the Model Rules, and (iii) a discussion of state variations in the Model Rules.
  • Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct: Current Reports (KF305.A8 A117)
    • The Current Reports are an indexed guide to new opinions as they are issued and reports on legislative and administrative developments.​
  • The Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct is available on Bloomberg Law.  Major components of the Manual are also available individually: 
    • ABA Ethics Opinions
    • Model Rules and Standards
    • Practice Guides Index
    • Practice Guides
    • State Ethics Opinions
    • Current Reports

• Model Code of Professional Responsibility, Model Rules of Professional Conduct and Other Selected Standards Including California and New York Rules on Professional Responsibility

  Call Number: KF305 .A195

  Includes tables cross-referencing (i) the Canons of Professional Ethics and the Model Code of Professional Responsibility and (ii) the Model Code of Professional Responsibility and the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Publication ceased in 2002.
• Regulation of Lawyers, Statutes and Standards

  

  Call Number: KF306.A4 G553

  Contains ABA Model Codes, ABA Standards Relating to the Administration of Criminal Justice, Model Code of Judicial Conduct and Selected Federal Statutes. Also includes tables cross-referencing (i) the Canons of Professional Ethics and the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and (ii) the Restatement of the Law Governing Lawyers and the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.
• ABA Compendium of Professional Responsibility Rules and Standards

  Call Number: KF305 .A2 2015

  Contains ABA Model Codes, ABA Standards Relating to the Administration of Criminal Justice, Model Code of Judicial Conduct and selected federal statutes.