ER for Lawyers Provides Online Legal Ethics Research to Lawyers Nationwide
VALPARAISO, Ind., Oct. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kathryn A. Thompson, an Illinois licensed attorney for over twenty years, recently announced the launch of ER for Lawyers LLC (Ethics Research for Lawyers), the first-ever privately operated nationwide ethics research service for attorneys. The "ER" is designed as an emergency room for lawyers who need immediate assistance with legal ethics issues short of hiring ethics counsel for legal "advice."
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The business model is unique in that lawyers who provide ethics assistance to other lawyers have traditionally done so in a representational capacity, within a lawyer-client relationship, and only within their states of licensure. But according to Thompson, the majority of lawyers with ethics questions don't need actual representation or advice—they merely need help identifying, analyzing and researching the issues.
Thompson notes that in many situations hiring an ethics attorney is just plain overkill, not to mention expensive, inconvenient and time-consuming. As a result, lawyers with ethics dilemmas often forego outside help altogether. Thompson considers the bar ethics hotlines a sound first step but says they don't offer the in-depth, ongoing level of personalized service many lawyers need.
Thompson maintains that the "ER" approach empowers lawyers to take proactive, self-help measures to resolve ethics dilemmas before they harm clients, tarnish their professional reputation or ripen into grievances or lawsuits. Thompson describes the business model as a "win-win-win" situation for the lawyer, the client and the organized bar because it reinforces the very purpose of the professional conduct rules—to protect clients.
There is an urgent need for practical and affordable ethics resources within the legal profession because technology has upended the "practice of law" as we know it, according to Thompson. She notes that the Internet has afforded lawyers access to a real-time global client base for the first time in history. But the flip side is that lawyers have a steady stream of unprecedented ways to violate the ethics rules in real-time.
There aren't a lot of ethics lawyers sitting around with beepers waiting to handle attorney distress calls, according to Thompson. She should know. During her eight-year tenure with the American Bar Association's ETHICSearch hotline, Thompson typically handled over a thousand ethics inquiries per year.
Thompson contends that up until now, there has been no quick, convenient way of getting on-demand access to skilled ethics care without hiring a lawyer or calling a non-profit hotline. Both options are suitable for certain types of situations, but now lawyers have a third option, an "ER" for lawyers.
About ER for Lawyers LLC
ER for Lawyers LLC (www.erforlawyers.com) is a lawyer-owned and operated service providing online legal ethics research to lawyers nationwide.
Contact:
Kathryn A. Thompson
Founder and President
1-800-its-ETHICS (1-800-487-3844)
Email
http://www.erforlawyers.com
SOURCE ER for Lawyers
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