Rob Doar , The Minnesota Star Tribune; Opinion | Federal Justice Department twists attorney ethics into misconduct
"As a bilingual advocate working in public defense, I regularly represent Spanish-speaking clients in Minnesota, many of whom have varying immigration statuses. My job is straightforward yet demanding: ensuring my clients receive competent, fair and loyal representation. My ethical obligations are clear: I must protect my clients’ rights, safeguard their interests and work tirelessly to resolve their cases justly. For many public defense clients, the stakes couldn’t be higher, as a criminal conviction could result in devastating immigration consequences.
“A lawyer must, to the extent consistent with the lawyer’s other legal duties, act with reasonable diligence and promptness to advance the client’s lawful objectives, as defined by the client.”
