Unlike other businesses, however, the law firm also has a special responsibility to the legal system itself. We have the added dimension of stringent ethical and legal constraints imposed by the Supreme Court and centuries of legal precedent. These rules require us to act with reasonable diligence and promptness or we can be brought up on ethical charges for not having put enough skill or preparation into a case. Some large firms have created new high-level positions solely to manage their ethical and legal issues. Beyond requiring competent service for our clients, the rules of ethics governing our profession add a societal dimension as well.
Lawyers are officers of the court, called upon to aid in the administration of justice.
In addition to serving paying clients, we are also expected to serve the legal needs of those who cannot afford to pay. Our firm takes these public responsibilities very seriously. We are strongly committed to pro bono service for the less fortunate members of our community. We serve on court-appointed and Bar Association committees that are trying to improve the administration of justice in the corporate setting, as well as elsewhere. We serve as arbitrators and mediators, as we try to alleviate the burdens of increased litigiousness in our society.