The Compendium brings together the American Bar Association’s model rules, standards, and guidance governing ethical and professional conduct in the legal profession. These models form the foundation for most state regulatory frameworks and serve as influential interpretive authority for courts addressing issues of professional responsibility. While states have adopted these models with varying degrees of modification—sometimes significantly—the Compendium provides readers with a clear understanding of the underlying philosophy of lawyer regulation and a reliable starting point for examining unfamiliar ethical and disciplinary issues. It is an essential resource for practicing attorneys, judges, scholars, and law students alike.

In addition to ABA ethics models, the Compendium includes a carefully curated selection of federal rules and standards frequently encountered in general legal practice, as well as in matters before the SEC and IRS. These materials directly intersect with key ethical obligations, including competence, candor, and the pursuit of meritorious claims and contentions. The volume also explains the structure, jurisdiction, and procedures of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, offering insight into how ABA ethics rules are developed, interpreted, and applied. The 2025 Edition incorporates newly issued ABA ethics opinions, ensuring the content reflects the most current guidance available.

This single-volume reference includes:

• ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct

• ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility

• ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct

• ABA Canons of Professional Ethics

• ABA Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions

• ABA Model Rules Related to Multijurisdictional Practice

• ABA Model Rules for Client Protection (selected)

• ABA Professionalism Codes and Creeds

• ABA Practice Guidelines, Federal Rules, and Standards (selected)

• ABA Formal Ethics Opinions (selected)