Duty of Competence Flashcards
1
Q
Duty of Competence (Rule)
A
The duty of competence includes the duty to have the knowledge, skill, preparation and thoroughness necessary to undertake effective representation of the client. Thus, a lawyer is subject to discipline for neglecting a legal matter, failing to prepare a matter, and taking a matter the lawyer knows that she is not competent to handle. If the lawyer doesn’t possess these things, she can still undertake representation if she can learn the necessary knowledge within a reasonable time that does not cause the client undue delay, or associates and works with an experienced attorney, or faces an emergency situation.
