www.thenewlawyer.com.au/article/lawyers-spill-on-ethica -
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Last Visited: 7/4/2009
The survey suggests lawyers do not believe that ethical obligations to environment and community are as far reaching as those in other industries do, said Paul Quinn, executive partner who heads the corporate department of Allens Arthur Robinson and is the practice director of the firm's Melbourne office.
Despite growing public belief and expectations that businesses have broad obligations to the community and the environment, lawyers do not believe in those ethical obligations.
"For example, we as lawyers have a legal ethical duty, a duty to the court of honesty and integrity," he said.
But Quinn defends the profession, telling The New Lawyer this may reflect a differing terminology on the concept of ethics.
"Most law firms do a lot of pro bono and charitable work, and so they do a lot of community work … but the view of lawyers is to spend the effort where you get more bang for your buck.
And that's doing legal advice on a pro bono basis.
"It may be that lawyers have the same community approach but they call it something different," Quinn said.
Contrary to this, lawyers believed their firms were acting ethically internally.
The professional ranks high in terms of "doing the right thing", Quinn said.
"So it was a little inconsistent."
Lawyers generally felt their internal systems were good in terms of resolving ethical issues.
Quinn noted that most large firms, at least, have ethics committees and pro bono groups that drive ethical activity internally and via pro bono work.
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