Trial Magazine

When I became AAJ’s president, I pledged that our organization would lead on ethics: We would educate our members on the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, make ethics a primary consideration in how our members represent their deserving clients, and hold dear our obligations to act ethically in our dealings with opposing counsel and the courts. I’m proud to say that we have delivered on those promises, and our organization is stronger for it.

AAJ’s Code of Conduct, adopted by the Board of Governors, remains an important guidepost for us all. The document lays out the principles AAJ members are expected to abide by, including, for example, that we will “not prosecute or counsel any action, or assert any claim or defense, which is false, frivolous, or wholly insubstantial.” Also, the code states that we will “not initiate press contact following a disaster or incident that resulted in injury or death for the sole purpose of attracting cases.”

There are affirmative principles as well, such as the requirement that we “disclose and explain the fee to be charged to the client and how it is calculated; the handling of costs while the case is pending and on resolution; and, if contingent upon recovery, memorialize the fee clearly in a written fee agreement.” Another important ideal is that we “disclose to clients the intention to refer their case to another attorney or to engage the services of another attorney to represent their interests.”

The principle that I’d like to focus on is: “Engage only in advertising that fully complies with the rules of the jurisdictions in which the member is admitted or where the advertising is placed, and not engage in any form of false, misleading, or deceptive advertising.” It is vital that we adhere closely to this rule, especially in the age of social media. That’s why AAJ is offering a complimentary webinar on ethics and compliance in legal advertising. (To access it, visit justice.org/education/on-demand-cle or email education@justice.org.)

This program educates our members on ABA Model Rule 7.2 and covers subjects like misleading or false statements, disclosures and content oversight, attorney image use, third-party data purchasing, records retention, and vetting marketing vendors. This webinar provides the preeminent and most up-to-date teachings on all things ethical when it comes to attorney advertising.

Each of us has pledged to zealously represent the best interests of our clients within the framework of the Rules of Professional Conduct and with the highest ethical standards of the profession. AAJ is actively working to make sure we have the tools and the inspiration to do just that. Members attending this month’s 2025 Annual Convention in San Francisco can earn up to six ethics credits in topics ranging from multi-plaintiff settlements to whistleblowers to AI.

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as an AAJ officer over the last six years—and as your president. I have done my best to carry out that role diligently and with the highest moral and ethical intentions. It is my hope that my contribution has, in some small way, made our organization stronger and more effective. I know that AAJ is in good hands as I turn over the reins.

Lori E. Andrus is a partner at Andrus Anderson in San Francisco and can be reached at lori.andrus@justice.org.