The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-05-29
CANNONOF ETHICS
FOR ATTORNEYS
FRAMED AND REPORTED ~ COM.
MiTTEE OF AMERICAN BAR
ASSOCIATION.
DUTY TO HIS CLIENT
Does Not Require Attorney to Do
Unlawful Things or Anything
He Would Not Do For
Himself.

New York, May 2S--A draft for the
proposed canons of professional ethics
has been prepared by committee OF
the American Bar Association, and Is
being submitted to members of the
Association for suggestions and criti
cisms. The final report, which it il
proposed to base upon the suggestions
and criticisms received will be sub
mitted to the Association as whole
at the annual meeting to be held next
August In Seattle. Washington.
In twenty-seyen states of the Union
there are codes of ethics more or less
complete. which exist as a result eth
er of codification by statutory enact
ments of some of the duties" ol
lawyers or of the action of Bar Asso
Citations therein in adopting canons of
professional ethics. For some years
past members of the Bar Associations
have advocated a movement which
should culminate In an authoritatively
declared standard of professional con.
''t's "hl|h VIII ilOt Oili9 otlNG DIS ii
guide to the youthful practitioner, but
will place the profession before the
public in its true light and thereby
free IL from public criticism and cen
sure which have at times been be.
slowed upon it as a result of the mis-.
conduct of unworthy men who have
found their way into its ranks AT the
1905 meeting of the Association, the
chairman of the Executive Committee
presented resolution, which was
adnptcd unanimously, providing for a
special committee to report upon the
advisability and practicability of the
adoption of a code of professional eth
les by the association At the 1906 meet
by the Association. At the 1906 meet
ing the committee reported fayorably
upon both points, and at the 1907 meet.
ing the Association directed the com
mittee TO prepare draft for the pro
posed canons of professional ethics,
requesting suggestions and criticisms
of all members of the American Bar.
In its report the committee says:
The foundation of the draft for
canons of ethics is the code adopted
by the Alabama State Bar Association
in 1887. This draft represent our best
present judgment after a most careful
consideration OF the subject.
In America where justice reigns
only by and through the people under
forms of law, it is essential that the sys-
tcm for establishing and dispensing
justice not onS be developed to a high
point of practical efficieny but so
maintained that there shall be abso.
Lutte confidence on the part of the pub
lie in the fairness, the integrity and
the impartiality of its administration;
otherwise there can be no permanence
to our republican institutions. Our
profession is necessarily the keystone
In the arch of republican government.
and the future of the republic, to
great extent, depends on our mainten.
ance of the shrine of justice pure and
unsullied 1t cannot be so maintained
unless the conduct, and the motives of
the members of our profession, who
are the high priests of justice, are
what they ought to be.
No code or set of rules can be
framed, which will particularize all the
duties OF the lawyer in the varying
phases of litigation or in all the re,
lations of professional life. The fol.
lowing canons of ethics are adopted
by the American Bar Association as
general guide. yet the enumeration of
particular duties should not be con-
strued as denial of the existence of
others equally imperative, though not
specially mentioned"
The canons deal with the many prob
lens confronting the lawyer in his
professional conduct Among the
most important recommendations are
the following:
Defending One Whom Advocate Be.
lieves to Be Guilty.-A lawyer may un-
dertake with propriety the defense of
a person accused of crime. although
he knows or believes him guilty. and
having undertaken 1t. he is bound by
all fair aud honorable means to pre-
sent such defenses as the law of the
land permits, TO the end that no per
son may be deprived of life or liberty
but by due process of law.
How Far Lawyer May Co in Sup
porting Clients .Csuse.-Nothing op-
crates more certainly to create or to
foster popular prejudice against law
yers as a class and to deprive The
profession of that full measure of pub
lie esteem and confidence which he
longs TO the proper discharge of IFS
duties than does the false claim often
set up by the uncruplous in defense
of questionable transactions. that It
is the duty of the lawyer to do what
ever may enable him to succeed in
winning his clients cause. A lawyer
owes entire devotion to the interest
L e