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1 Prof. Law. 1 (1989-1990)

handle is hein.journals/proflw1 and id is 1 raw text is: THE PROFESSIONAL LAWYER Special Coordinating Committee on Professionalism American Bar Association Center for Professional Responsibility Meaning of Professionalism... What does professionalism mean to lawyers? How is it de- fined? Professionalism is a very powerful and complex idea which has captured the imagination and resources of the legal community. In the past few years, it has be- come the theme of many bar asso- ciation presidents and countless programs have been instituted to improve it. Yet the concept itself is exceedingly difficult to grasp, and some think impossible to define. According to the ABA's Commis- sion on Professionalism, 'Profes- sionalism' is an elastic concept the meaning and application of which are hard to pin down.1 The Com- mission members attempted to de- velop a working definition of professionalism, and referred to a definition developed by Dean Roscoe Pound of Harvard Law School: The term refers to a group... pursuing a learned art as a common calling in the spirit of public service-no less a public service because it may incidentally be a means of livelihood. Pursuit of the learned art in the spirit of a public service is the primary pur- pose.2 We asked several national bar leaders to share with us their defi-' nitions of professionalism in these first few issues of The Profes- sional Lawyer. We hope that their comments will serve to focus our own views and ideas about lawyer professionalism and prompt us to consider what we each can do to further the important efforts to make it what it should be. Sandra Day O'Connor Justice, U.S. Supreme Court To me, the essence of profes- sionalism is a commitment to de- velop one's skills to the fullest and to apply them responsibly to the problems at hand. Professionalism requires adherence to the highest ethical standards of conduct and a willingness to subordinate narrow self-interest in pursuit of the more fundamental goal of public service. Because of the tremendous power they wield in our system, lawyers must never forget that their duty to serve their clients fairly and skill- fully takes priority over the per- sonal accumulation of wealth. At the same time, lawyers must tem- per bold advocacy for their clients with a sense of responsibility to the larger legal system which strives, however imperfectly, to provide justice for all. Robert D. Raven President, American Bar Association Professionalism is a diverse set of goals for the conduct of individual lawyers and the legal profession. Lawyers must comply with a profes- sional code of conduct that includes zealous representation for clients. Lawyers must ensure the compe- tence of those admitted to the bar through accreditation standards for law schools, bar admission (Continued on page 12) Volume 1, Number 1, Spring, 1989. The Professional Lawyer is published quarterly.

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