LAWYER PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS RULES AND CASES INTERPRETING SCR, CHAPTER 20 This document is intended to assist the profession and the public in its research and understanding of how the ethics rules have been interpreted and applied by the Supreme Court. Links to each ethics rule are provided for easy navigation. Each link takes one to the rule, comments, and annotations (notes about the interpretation of standards with citations to cases). Generally, cases are cited that interpret the rules in effect beginning July 1, 2007, the effective date of the rules implemented after Wisconsin completed review of the ABA proposed Ethics 2000 recommendations. In many cases, however, cases interpreting prior versions of the rules are noted where the information would be helpful and where more recent cases are few. Also, there is an occasional citation to a consent public or private reprimand where the information is helpful. Consent public or private reprimand summaries are not interpretations of the Supreme Court yet may provide helpful guidance. This document contains the rules and comments in Supreme Court Rules, Chapter 20, as they were in effect on January 1, 2021. Following the comments to each rule, this document contains annotations based on cases contained in the Compendium of Professional Discipline located at OLR’s website: www.wicourts.gov/olr. The annotations also include summaries of related State Bar of Wisconsin Formal Ethics Opinions. These are found after the annotations under the heading “Ethics Opinions.” This document will be updated regularly. The next update is expected to be published in the spring of 2022. Corrections and suggestions are welcome and may be forwarded to OLR, ATTN: Director, and emailed to
[email protected].