Independent, accessible, efficient, & effective legal practice, C1S1 CPRA

Section 1, Canon I SECTION 1. Independent, accessible, efficient, and effective legal service. - A lawyer shall make legal services accessible in an efficient and effective manner. In performing this duty, a lawyer shall maintain independence, act with integrity, and at all times ensure the efficient and effective delivery of justice. (2023 Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability or CPRA) 1. Accessibility of legal services Accessibility of legal services – may refer to: 1) The ease of access to lawyer by a prospective client looking for legal services; or 2) The ease of access to a lawyer by a current client in relation to a current engagement. Prospective clients Accessibility of legal services is a challenge for many, particularly for those who have no experience with engaging a lawyer. Most people often start their search for legal services through online search such as via search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, etc.) to find websites of lawyers or law firms (henceforth, collectively referred to as “lawyers”). In some cases, people go through social media to search for lawyers who may content on the legal service that they need, such as those looking to be represented with their criminal or civil case. Current clients For current clients, accessibility of legal services refers to ease of accessing the lawyer that they hired. Often, this means that the engaged lawyer should be easily reachable or easy to contact. a. Efficient and effective manner Efficient – mea...