North Dakota Law Review/Volume 1/Number 2/Uniform Interpretations of Canons of Ethics

UNIFORM INTERPRETATIONS OF CANONS OF ETHICS

Members of the Association have doubtless noted, from the publication of the opinions of the Committee on Professional Ethics and Grievances in the Journal, that this committee has begun to avail itself of the added authority given it some time since. A wide field of usefulness has been opened to it. One of the particular advantages which it is hoped will result from the enlarged power of the Committee in respect to problems submitted from state and local bar association, is a gradual unification of the interpretation of the canons of ethics by bar associations throughout the country. Writing on this point, in an article in the July, 1922, issue of the Journal, Chairman Thomas Francis Howe of the Association's committee said:

"Most, if not all, of these local associations have adopted the Canons of Ethics of this Association, and many of the questions which their committees have to answer require that the canons be construed in order that the principles laid down therein may be applied to the question to be answered. Frequently the members of these committees differ as to the construction and application of the canons, and would be glad to avail themselves of some uniform interpretation. When such doubt exists there is at present no committee of this Association of whom they may request an opinion for their guidance, and thus enable them to make their answers uniform with that of similar committees of other associations. Lacking such, they may give an answer on an involved or complicated question that may appear at variance with that expressed on a similar question by the committee of some other association."—American Bar Association Journal.