Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 78, No. 11, November
2005
Legal News
& Trends
Supreme court schedules open administrative conferences to
discuss rules to professional conduct
The Wisconsin Supreme Court has scheduled five administrative
conferences to further discuss various aspects of its Wisconsin Ethics
2000 Committee's petition to amend the Supreme Court Rules, Chapter 20
Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys.
- Nov. 30, 2005 (Deadline for written comments Nov. 19)
Topics: (proposed) Preamble to SCR Ch. 20; (proposed)
Terminology; and (proposed) SCR 20:3.8 entitled Special Responsibilities
of a Prosecutor.
- Dec. 15, 2005 (Deadline for written comments Dec. 1)
Topics: (Proposed) SCR 20:1.6 (Confidentiality); 20:1.7
(Conflicts); 20:1.8 (Conflicts); 20:1.9 (Duties to Former Clients);
(proposed) SCR 20:1.11 (Special conflicts of interest for former and
current government officers and employees); 20:1.18 (Duties to
Prospective Clients); 20:3.3 (Candor toward the tribunal); (proposed)
20:5.4 (Professional independence of a lawyer); (proposed) 20:7.2
(Advertising); 20:7.3 (Direct contact with Prospective Clients);
(proposed) 20:8.3 (Reporting professional misconduct); and (proposed)
20:8.4 (Misconduct).
- Jan. 19, 2006 (Deadline for written comments Jan. 5)
Topics: (Proposed) SCR 20:3.10 (Threatening criminal
prosecution); (proposed) 20:4.1 (Truthfulness in statements to others);
(proposed) 20:4.2 (Communications with person represented by counsel);
(proposed) 20:4.3 (Dealing with unrepresented person); and (proposed)
SCR 20:7.1 (Communications concerning a lawyer's services).
- Jan. 25, 2006 (Deadline for written comments Jan. 11)
Topics: (Proposed) SCR 20:4.5 (Guardian ad Litem); (proposed)
SCR 6.1 (Pro bono); and (proposed) SCR 6.5 (Nonprofit).
- Feb. 28, 2006 (Deadline for written comments Feb. 14)
Topics: (Proposed) SCR 20:1.5 (Fees)
The Wisconsin Supreme Court created the Ethics 2000 Committee to
study the ABA's proposed changes to the model rules. The committee's
report and petition, filed on July 29, 2004, is the most comprehensive
proposal for changes to SCR Chapter 20 since the mid-1980s and is the
basis for the court's consideration.
In response to the court committee's report and petition, the State
Bar solicited member feedback on the proposed changes, which the Board
of Governors considered before voting on the petition. The Bar presented
its recommendations to the court at a public hearing on Feb. 17,
2005.
All hearings will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the Supreme Court Room. As
this matter has already been the subject of a public hearing, general
public testimony will not be entertained at the open conference. The
court may direct questions to individuals present at the conference to
aid the court's consideration of these matters.
For more information about Ethics 2000, visit www.wisbar.org/ethics2000.
Wisconsin Lawyer
