APRIL'S FOOLS: WE'VE GOT NEW RULES

New Rules of Professional Conduct

Effective April 1, 2009

The new Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys go into effect on April 1, 2009.  These rules replace New York's Code of Professional Responsibility with the model rule format that is currently used throughout the nation.  The new rules are designed to assist attorneys in understanding their ethical responsibilities to clients, courts and the legal profession.

For more information on these rule changes, and how they will impact practicing attorneys, please visit www.nysba.org/professionalstandards .  Visitors can view a complete listing of the new rules and a chart that displays how the new rules compare with the previous Code of Professional Responsibility.

The State Bar Association also will host several CLE programs statewide to help attorneys become more familiar with the new Rules of Professional Conduct.  Additional information on these programs can be found at www.nysba.org/newrulesCLEofferings .