- The ABA continues review of the ethical implications of LPO
- Commission favors less invasive approach to ethical guidance on LPO
- Discussions focus on ensuring vendor competence of outside legal vendors and adequate supervision
The American Bar Association (ABA) Commission on Ethics 20/20, the body charged with reviewing the ethical implications of technological advances and globalization in the legal profession, has moved away from significant changes to the rules governing legal outsourcing.
Instead, at a series of meetings in Chicago this month, the organization elected to make minor changes to the commentary on Model Rules 1.1 and 5.3, which deal with the competence of services provided to a client and the responsibilities of managing non-lawyer assistants.
The decision, which was supported by the majority of commission members, makes the prospect of more stringent rules restricting the growing practice of outsourcing legal work less likely.
The resolution comes after fractured discussions at the previous August meetings held at the ABA Annual meetings in San Francisco.
Based on the October proceedings, the commission plans to make the edited commentary publically available as early as mid-November of this year.
The proposed commentary changes will bolster the importance of ensuring the competence of outside legal vendors as well as the importance of adequate supervision and monitoring.
Part of the progress made by the commission can be attributed to its expanded cooperation with related ABA bodies including the Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and the Section for International Law.
The meetings, held on October 15th at the ABA’s Chicago headquarters on 321 North Clark, were attended by Fronterion Managing Principal Michael Bell. At the conclusion of the proceedings, Bell addressed the commission expressing his affirmation of its progress.
