The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-09
ETHICS FOR LAWYERS.
State Bar Association Proposes to
 Raise Standard.

At the meeting of the State Bar As sociation held in New Haven. Monday, a new code of ethics proposed by committee was adopted with little dis cussion. The code says:
 Fidelity to the client as well as to the court demands that the lawyer Tn thus conducting his clients case shall commit no violation of law. nor any manner of fraud or chicane, nor per vert the opportunities of a trial ln- tended only for the protection of clients interest to the mere gratlnca- tion of his malevolence.
 "A lawyer should always treat ad- verse witnesses and suitors with fair ness and due consideration, and he should never minister to the malevo- lence or prejudices of a client in the trial or conduct of a cause. The cll- ent cannot be made the keeper of the lawyers conscience in profess1onal matters. He has no right to demand that his counsel shall abuse the oppo- site party or indulge in otenslve per sonalities. Improper speech is not ex- cl1sable on the ground that 1t is what the client would say if speaking in his own behalf.
 ssIt is the right of a lawyer to un- dertake the defense of a person ac- cused of crime regardless of his per sonal opinion as to the guilt of the accused, otherwise persons victims only of suspicious circumstances, might be denied proper defense. Hay ing undertaken such defense the law yer is bound by all fair and honorable means to present every defense that the law of the hand permits, to the end that no person may be deprived of life and liberty but by due process of law. .u ,1v,nr-0focci0na1 h1lt if is ln- dictable at common law. A duty to the public and to the profession de- wolves upon every member Of the par having knowledge of disreputable prac- tices of any practitioner in hunting up causes or grounds of action ana IT, forming thereof in order to be employ. ed to brig suit, immediately to disclose such knowledge to the end that toe offender may be punished.
 'It is the duty of the bar in appro- priate instances to protect the indig- ent and helpless from oppression, and each lawyer should share as occasion requires in the performance of this duty. In such case he may properly charge a reasonable fee in the event of a successful issue, but the poverty of a client may never justify law yer in purchasing an interest in the subject-matter of the litigation or in stipulating for an extortionate fee on the basis of a wagering percentage or it's profits.
 ''In fixing the fees it should never be forgotten that the profession is a branch of the administration of jus tice and not a mere money-getting trade.''
 After the code was adopted the fol- lowing resolution was adopted:
 Resolved, That the president be au- thorized to bring to the attention of the judges of the Superior court and of the members of the State Bar Ex- arnining committee in such manner as he may deem appropriate. the expe- diency of some modification of the rules of court or of the regulations of the State Bar Examining committee for the purpose of securing an ade- quate understanding by those admit ted to the bar of the principles and recognized rules of professional eth- ics."