--- title: Ethics description: Advocate Magazine articles on Ethics, from the Subject Matter Index. url: https://www.advocatemagazine.com/tag/Ethics --- [![Legal ethics: Client Trust Account requirements, the new “snitch” rule, and conflicts of interest](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Rosen-istock-1182223491_65804ee6dbb7e70e4991a108f4c7eb55.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-february/legal-ethics-client-trust-account-requirements-the-new-snitch-rule-and-conflicts-of-interest "Legal ethics: Client Trust Account requirements, the new “snitch” rule, and conflicts of interest") ## [Legal ethics: Client Trust Account requirements, the new “snitch” rule, and conflicts of interest](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-february/legal-ethics-client-trust-account-requirements-the-new-snitch-rule-and-conflicts-of-interest "Legal ethics: Client Trust Account requirements, the new “snitch” rule, and conflicts of interest") While legal ethics often evolve, several specific areas are of particular interest as 2024 begins [David A. Rosen](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/david-a-rosen "David A. Rosen") From Issue: [2024 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2024-february) [![My big mouth](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Johnson-istock-1158245101_1b9a7be140db92806d2de7e450223892.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-december/my-big-mouth "My big mouth") ## [My big mouth](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-december/my-big-mouth "My big mouth") Whether it’s a comment to the press, a letter to the defendant or a memo for the court, legal communications can result in attorney liability, “litigation privilege” notwithstanding [Douglas Johnson](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/douglas-johnson "Douglas Johnson") [Neville L. Johnson](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/neville-l-johnson "Neville L. Johnson") From Issue: [2019 December](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-december) [![Terminating the attorney-client relationship](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Glickman_istock-180105313_72862029716ffdc376176d3aaa3e01d9.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/terminating-the-attorney-client-relationship "Terminating the attorney-client relationship") ## [Terminating the attorney-client relationship](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/terminating-the-attorney-client-relationship "Terminating the attorney-client relationship") When and how to terminate the relationship with your client without breaking any rules and while preserving your rights to fees you have earned [Steven Glickman](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/steven-glickman "Steven Glickman") From Issue: [2019 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february) ## [“Generous referral fees paid per State Bar rules”](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/generous-referral-fees-paid-per-state-bar-rules "“Generous referral fees paid per State Bar rules”") Written association of counsel and referral-fee agreements, approved by the clients, are essential for recovering attorneys’ referral fees [David Hoffman](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/david-hoffman-2 "David Hoffman") From Issue: [2019 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february) ## [Web profiles and ethical concerns](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-march/web-profiles-and-ethical-concerns "Web profiles and ethical concerns") You may love, hate or be indifferent about what’s posted about you on a website, but what are your ethical obligations? [Allison Schulman](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/allison-schulman "Allison Schulman") From Issue: [2021 March](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-march) [![Style, substance and social media](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Gamliel-istock-599703424_f6e8b111072a9b8fc7df615912ec218e.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-november/style-substance-and-social-media "Style, substance and social media") ## [Style, substance and social media](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-november/style-substance-and-social-media "Style, substance and social media") Harnessing the power of “social” to enrich your practice and fuel meaningful connections [Alexis Gamliel](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/alexis-gamliel "Alexis Gamliel") From Issue: [2021 November](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-november) [![Is your referral-fee agreement ethical and enforceable?](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Houck_istock-480266974_17426cdf4777496fe2f6589d315ea0a1.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-march/is-your-referral-fee-agreement-ethical-and-enforceable "Is your referral-fee agreement ethical and enforceable?") ## [Is your referral-fee agreement ethical and enforceable?](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-march/is-your-referral-fee-agreement-ethical-and-enforceable "Is your referral-fee agreement ethical and enforceable?") California is the land of the “pure referral fee.” The agreed fee is not necessarily commensurate with work done on the case [Ji-In Lee Houck](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/ji-in-lee-houck "Ji-In Lee Houck") From Issue: [2021 March](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2021-march) [![Ethical considerations in retainer agreements](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Blumberg_istock-888776672_175ec7bba9bbabc5a031d1399a5b222f.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/ethical-considerations-in-retainer-agreements "Ethical considerations in retainer agreements") ## [Ethical considerations in retainer agreements](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/ethical-considerations-in-retainer-agreements "Ethical considerations in retainer agreements") A short look at what is required by the Business and Professions Code section 6148 [John P. Blumberg](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/john-p-blumberg "John P. Blumberg") From Issue: [2019 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february) [![“Rumpole doesn’t know the law…”](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Walker_art_Rumpole--1342410603-front_52ab9d08492c0f777e1f6bd9c4723f80.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-january/rumpole-doesn-t-know-the-law "“Rumpole doesn’t know the law…”") ## [“Rumpole doesn’t know the law…”](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-january/rumpole-doesn-t-know-the-law "“Rumpole doesn’t know the law…”") The ethical and moral dilemmas of representing a client in litigation [Skip Walker](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/skip-walker "Skip Walker") From Issue: [2022 January](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2022-january) [![You received an investigation letter from the State Bar](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/media/zoo/images/Stromeyer-Weber-iStock-175238195_154b52970be181bca88692e7131d9ab3.jpg)](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-september/you-received-an-investigation-letter-from-the-state-bar "You received an investigation letter from the State Bar") ## [You received an investigation letter from the State Bar](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-september/you-received-an-investigation-letter-from-the-state-bar "You received an investigation letter from the State Bar") Don’t panic. Here’s your game plan [Karen Stromeyer](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/karen-stromeyer "Karen Stromeyer") [Peter Weber](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/peter-weber "Peter Weber") From Issue: [2018 September](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2018-september) ## [The new Rules of Professional Conduct](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february/the-new-rules-of-professional-conduct "The new Rules of Professional Conduct") A look at some of the most important changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct that became effective November 1, 2018 [Jessica Beckwith](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/jessica-beckwith "Jessica Beckwith") [Ken Feldman](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/ken-feldman "Ken Feldman") From Issue: [2019 February](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2019-february) ## [Private-mediator ethics in California](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-september/private-mediator-ethics-in-california "Private-mediator ethics in California") And the newly enacted State Bar neutral-certification program [Elizabeth R. Feffer](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/authors/elizabeth-r-feffer "Elizabeth R. Feffer") From Issue: [2025 September](https://www.advocatemagazine.com/issues/2025-september)