Professional Responsibility and Legal Ethics Research
November 2024
Updated by Paul Hellyer
Jump to:
- Introductory Sources
- Library Materials
- Ethics Rules & Opinions
- Treatises & Restatement
- Periodicals
- Free Websites
Introductory Sources
Legal Ethics in a Nutshell (5th ed. 2018)
KF306 .R68 2018 (RESERVE) West Academic
Mastering Professional Responsibility (2nd ed. 2015)
KF306 .G544 2015 (RESERVE)
Understanding Lawyers' Ethics (6th ed. 2023) LexisNexis Digital Library
Library Materials
Library Catalog
To search for books, journals, and audiovisual materials held by William & Mary libraries, use the online catalog.
Search Tips:
- Subject Queries:
- legal ethics
- judicial ethics
- Individual jurisdictions can be searched, e.g. "legal ethics" AND Virginia
To search for materials from other libraries, use the Worldcat database.
Shelf Browsing
To browse the library's shelves for books on professional responsibility and legal ethics, look in or around call numbers KF305 or, for judicial ethics, KF8779. Some relevant books are on reserve.
Ethics Rules & Opinions
National
Model Code of Judicial Conduct (ABA)
Annotated: KF8779 .A96 2016 (2nd floor) Lexis
Unannotated: KF306 .A755 2010 (RESERVE) Westlaw / ABA Website
Model Rules for Lawyer Disciplinary Enforcement (ABA)
KF308 .A943 2007 (RESERVE) Westlaw / ABA Website
Model Rules of Professional Conduct (ABA)
Annotated: KF305 .A23 2023 (RESERVE) Westlaw / Lexis
Unannotated: KF305 .A22 (RESERVE) ABA Website
Legislative History: KF306 .L45 2013 (2nd floor)
ABA Ethics Opinions Westlaw / Lexis (formal ops.) / Lexis (informal ops.)
ABA/BNA Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct (includes state, local and ABA ethics opinions)
KF305 .A8A4 (2nd floor) (library has 1984-2005 in print) Bloomberg Law
Legal & Judicial Ethics & Disciplinary Opinions Westlaw
Virginia
Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct
In Virginia Rules Annotated KFV2431 .A2 (1st floor Va. Collection) • State Bar Website
Westlaw (in Va. Statutes and Court Rules)
Virginia State Bar Ethics Opinions
State Bar Website / Westlaw / Lexis
Other States
Check Lexis, Westlaw, or the websites of the state bar association and/or state court system.
Treatises & Restatement
(Selected sources only)
ABA/BNA Lawyers' Manual on Professional Conduct Bloomberg Law
James J. Alfini, Judicial Conduct and Ethics (6th ed. 2020) Lexis
John M. Burkoff, Criminal Defense Ethics: Law & Liability (annual editions) Westlaw
Richard E. Flamm, Lawyer Disqualification: Disqualification of Attorneys and Law Firms (2014 & annual supp.)
KF308 .F53 2014 (2nd floor)
Lawrence Fox & Susan J. Martyn, The Ethics of Representing Organizations (annual editions) Lexis
Bennett L. Gershman, Prosecutorial Misconduct (annual editions)
KF9640 .G46 (2nd floor) Westlaw
John Wesley Hall, Jr., Professional Responsibility in Criminal Defense Practice (4th 2023 & annual supp.)
KF306 .H25 2023 (2nd floor) Westlaw
Geoffrey C. Hazard, The Law of Lawyering (4th ed. 2015 & annual supp.) VitalLaw
Gregory P. Joseph, Sanctions: the Federal Law of Litigation Abuse (6th ed. 2020) Lexis
Joseph F. Lawless, Prosecutorial Misconduct (4th ed. 2008 & annual supp.) Lexis
Restatement (Third) of the Law Governing Lawyers (2000)
KF395 .A2 L383 2000 (2nd floor) Westlaw / Lexis / HeinOnline
Douglas R. Richmond et al, Professional Responsibility in Litigation (3rd ed. 2021)
KF306 .R53 2021 (2nd floor) Bloomberg Law
Ronald D. Rotunda & John S. Dzienkowski, Legal Ethics: The Lawyer's Deskbook on Professional Responsibility (annual editions)
KF306 .R67 (2nd floor) Westlaw
Periodicals
Legal Source
Contains detailed indexing for over 1,200 legal journals, law reviews, yearbooks, institutes, statutes, bar association and university publications. Includes full text for over 400 journals. Coverage: 1908 - present.
Subject Queries:
- legal ethics
- conflict of interests
- judicial ethics
- law & ethics
Selected Periodicals on Professional Responsibility & Legal Ethics
Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics Westlaw / Lexis / HeinOnline
Journal of the Legal Profession Westlaw / Lexis / HeinOnline
Journal of the Professional Lawyer HeinOnline / Legal Source
Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy Westlaw / Lexis / HeinOnline
St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice and Ethics Westlaw / HeinOnline
Free Websites
American Bar Association: Center for Professional Responsibility
Includes reports, surveys, news on recent developments, abstracts of the ABA's ethics opinions, links to state ethics rules, and other resources on legal ethics.
Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers "An independent national organization of lawyers concentrating in the fields of professional responsibility and legal ethics." -- From the website
Legal Profession Blog
A blog on legal and judicial ethics featuring reports on recent disciplinary actions.
Virginia State Bar
Includes Virginia's Rules of Professional Conduct and advisory opinions issued by the Standing Committee on Legal Ethics, plus other information about attorney discipline and ethics in Virginia.