Legal Ethics Research Guide

The ABA and each state bar association publish ethics opinions in response to requests for advice from lawyers. The ethics opinions are advisory and not enforceable as law, but can be cited to show how a bar association has interpreted a specific provision of the Model Rules or Model Code.

The ABA's Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility issues formal and informal ethics opinions. Formal opinions are issued on matters that are deemed of general interest to the bar; informal opinions are issued for specific inquiries relating to a particular set of facts.

ABA ethics opinions are available in both Lexis and Westlaw.

The full text of ethics opinions from state and local bar associations are not collected in any one place. The sources described below will assist you in locating state bar ethics opinions on a particular topic. Most state bar associations publish opinions in the state bar journal or newsletters, but some do not publish their ethics opinions at all. Some state bar associations publish a looseleaf reporter with their ethics opinions or make their opinions available online.