Family Law requires attorneys to represent clients in many complex, adversarial, and challenging situations. The attorney must fulfill a variety of responsibilities to clients, to opposing parties, to the courts, and to third parties as well. The American Bar Association promulgated Model Rules of Professional Conduct in 1983. In 1986, the Nevada Supreme Court adopted those Model Rules as Supreme Court Rules. In 2006, the ethics code was substantially revised in the Ethics 2000 amendments, which also retitled the ethical rules as rules of professional conduct (“RPCs”)

In addition to the ethical codes and rules governing lawyers generally, there are a number of specific rules, and codes, applicable to attorneys (and proper person litigants) in Family Law cases. Specifically, the local rules in Clark County require that “All lawyers and pro se litigants . . . should aspire to compliance with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers standards of conduct, the Bounds of Advocacy (1991 Edition).” Those standards address attorney competency, the attorney-client relationship, and the relationship between opposing counsel. The standards set out in the Bounds of Advocacy are not mandatory, but do provide useful guidance to acceptable behavior.

WILLICK LAW GROUP is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional ethics, while providing zealous advocacy for our clients. Mr. Willick served as Chair of the Nevada Bar Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility for some years, and was a member of the “Ethics 2000 Committee,” which proposed changes to Nevada’s attorney ethics code to bring it up to date.

• Ethics 2000

Links to Other Web Sites

• Nevada Rules of Professional Conduct
• Nevada Revised Statutes