In December 1995, I took the oath prescribed in Maryland Business Occupations and Professions Code Ann. 10-212. I swore that I would, “at all times demean myself fairly and honorably as an attorney and practitioner at law; that I will bear true allegiance to the State of Maryland, and support the laws and Constitution thereof, and that I will bear true allegiance to the United States, and that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution, laws and government thereof as the supreme law of the land; any law, or ordinance of this or any state to the contrary notwithstanding.”
Today, May 1, 2025, I am taking action. Along with some of my partners and hopefully thousands of other lawyers, I am proudly joining the National Law Day of Action at the U.S. Supreme Court. The organizers rightly state that our profession and the legal system are under attack. Indeed, “When the rule of law is weakened, our entire nation suffers.”
All Maryland lawyers have an obligation to protect the legal system. We don’t even need to get into the various Rules of Professional Conduct to understand our obligations. Just a quick glance at the preamble is all you need. We must, among other obligations:
- Use the law’s procedures for legitimate purposes, not to harass.
- Demonstrate respect for the legal system and those who serve it
- Work to improve access to justice regardless of economic or social barriers
- Further, the public’s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority.
- Strive to improve the law and the legal system.
The list ends with paragraph 13’s crucial statement that is driving me to act: “Attorneys play a vital role in the preservation of society. The fulfillment of this role requires an understanding by attorneys of their relationship to our legal system. The Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct, when properly applied, serve to define that relationship.”
For these reasons, my ethics demand that I take action. I hope yours strike you similarly.
Craig Brodsky is a partner with Goodell, DeVries, Leech & Dann LLP in Baltimore. For over 25 years, he has represented attorneys in disciplinary cases and legal malpractice cases, and he has served as ethics counsel to numerous clients. His Legal Ethics column appears monthly in The Daily Record. He can be reached at csb@gdldlaw.com.
This article originally appeared in The Daily Record on May 1, 2025.
Goodell DeVries defends various professionals in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia, including lawyers and law firms. Many of these cases are ethics matters involving Bar Counsel. If you have questions about the above or are a Maryland lawyer facing discipline, please contact us at EthicsHelp@gdldlaw.com.
