Ethics Committee

The Colorado Bar Association Ethics Committee is a standing committee of the Colorado Bar Association, staffed by approximately 90 Colorado attorneys, existing for the purpose of giving ethics advice to Colorado attorneys. The Committee issues Formal Ethics Opinions concerning topics of general interest, which are published in the Colorado Lawyer. The Committee, as a whole, will answer written requests for ethics advice, subject to certain exceptions such as those listed below, as Informal Letter Opinions. Also, for more immediate advice, attorneys may call individual members of the HotLine Subcommittee for a brief discussion or submit an email request to the link below. Email submissions should indicate whether an Informal Letter Opinion of the Committee or an immediate response (“E-Response”) is requested. Telephone responses and E-Responses are solely the opinions of individual Committee members and not the considered opinions of the entire Committee. The responding Committee member reserves the option to respond to an inquiry in either telephone or email format.

The Ethics Committee is NOT associated with the Colorado Supreme Court, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, the Attorney Regulation Committee, or the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. Committee Opinions, whether informal written opinions or published formal Ethics Opinions, are issued for advisory purposes only and are not in any way binding on the Colorado Supreme Court, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, the Attorney Regulation Committee, Attorney Regulation Counsel, or the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel and do not provide protection against disciplinary actions.

 

Pursuant to its by-laws, the Committee is not obliged to respond to questions:

  • about completed conduct;
  • about another attorney's conduct;
  • about law rather than ethics;
  • about matters in litigation;
  • from a non-attorney;
  • when the inquirer (e.g. caller) will not identify him or herself.

Ethics Committee Hotline

A Service for Attorneys

 Certain members of the Ethics Committee are available for BRIEF discussion of attorneys' own immediate ethical dilemmas or questions. Attorneys are asked to do their own research prior to calling the HotLine. HotLine inquiries are handled by individual members of the Committee to help identify ethical issues and do not necessarily reflect the thinking of the Committee as a whole. Please remember these practicing attorneys are doing this for free and can't spend more than about 10 minutes per call and are not there to do research for you. To contact the HotLine Members please call the Colorado Bar Association office at 303.860.1115, or 800.332.6736 (in-state only).


Ethics Hotline- (303)-860-1115

Request for a private letter OR opinion

To request a request for a private letter OR opinion from the CBA Ethics Committee, please email Jess Ham

Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel of the Colorado Supreme Court

The Ethics Committee is NOT associated with the Colorado Supreme Court, the Presiding Disciplinary Judge, the Attorney Regulation Committee, or the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel. Grievances are initially handled by the Attorney Regulation Committee and the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel of the Colorado Supreme Court (303.893.8121). Reference can also be made to the article regarding the function and process of the attorney disciplinary system in Colorado in The Colorado Lawyer, February, 1999. There is a Grievance Calling Line for grieved attorneys at the Denver Bar Association at 303.860.1115.


Colorado Supreme Court- (303)-893-8121

Other Resources

Other Legal Ethics Links

Colorado Attorney Oath of Admission

[Following is the Oath of Admission taken by all individuals at the time of their swearing-in and admission to the practice of law in Colorado]

I DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR by the Everliving God (OR AFFIRM) that:
I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Colorado; I will maintain the respect due to Courts and judicial officers; I will employ only such means as are consistent with truth and honor; I will treat all persons whom I encounter through my practice of law with fairness, courtesy, respect and honesty; I will use my knowledge of the law for the betterment of society and the improvement of the legal system; I will never reject, from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed; I will at all times faithfully and diligently adhere to the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct.

OARC Hearing Assistance for Lawyers

OARC Hearing Assistance for Lawyers

The Colorado Bar Association Assistance Program for OARC Disciplinary Matters (CBA and Program, respectively) is a pilot program that makes referrals of need- based legal assistance to respondent lawyers in disciplinary matters before the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel (OARC). The Program makes referrals to volunteer members of the CBA Ethics Committee, facilitating potential independent attorney-client relationships. This Program is not affiliated in any respect with the OARC. The CBA’s Executive Council and Ethics Committee have approved the Program.

 

Upcoming Ethics CLE Events

Ethics CLE Home Studies