Annual Survey of Virginia Law: Professional Responsibility

On October 18, 1996, the Virginia State Bar Council (Council) approved a change in the format of the Code of Professional Responsibility (Code) from canons, disciplinary rules, and ethical considerations to the Model Rules of the American Bar Association (Model Rules). The first twenty-one rules, Model Rules 1.1 through 2.5, were approved in substance with some amendments at the Council's meeting on June 19, 1997. This approval represents approximately one-third of the conversion from the Code to the Model Rules. The second installment of the conversion was approved by Council at its October 1997 meeting.

Notwithstanding Council's approval of this major undertaking, the adoption of the Model Rules will require the imprimatur of the Supreme Court of Virginia.