The Standing Committee on Legal Ethics meets regularly to consider attorneys’ formal requests for advisory opinions seeking guidance on legal ethics and the unauthorized practice of law as well as to analyze and debate proposals to amend the Rules of Professional Conduct and the Unauthorized Practice Rules. The committee adopts proposed advisory opinions or rule amendments for consideration by council and the Supreme Court of Virginia.
The nine committee members are appointed by the president of the Virginia State Bar and may serve two consecutive three-year terms. The committee’s work may include other specific assignments or requests in its area of general responsibility from the VSB’s officers, the Executive Committee or VSB Council. See the committee's full mission statement.
Members are appointed by the VSB President-elect after volunteers are solicited in the fall in Virginia Lawyer magazine, in emails, and online; applications are due in February. Applicants send a brief résumé and fill out a committee preference form.
Upcoming meetings may be found on the Calendar and are subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Agendas and call in numbers will be provided on the meeting entry on the Calendar. However, the deliberations of the Standing Committee on Legal Ethics are confidential pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court Part 6 § IV Paragraph 10-2 (E). Therefore, all substantive portions of this meeting are closed to nonmembers.