A Perspective on the Moral Responsibility of Lawyers

Fifth Circuit Judge Thomas Reavley offers his perspective on the disconnect between the public’s perception of lawyers and the myriad rules of personal and professional conduct that govern the profession. The author writes that while these rules are very important, they do not address every moral conundrum a lawyer will face. Paramount to the moral and ethical practice of law in the author’s estimation is the central theme underlying all of these rules: protecting the dignity and respecting the inherent value of every human life.