Rotary Club 13 Buzz Saw

 NOTE: Vocational Services of Rotary focuses on the adherence to and promotion of the highest ethical standards of all occupations, including fair treatment of  employers, employees, associates, competitors, and the public. In conjunction with October being Vocational Services Month, the Vocational Services Committee is providing an article concerning the ethics in the legal professional. Also, for the next 12 months, the Committee will be focusing on providing articles concerning the ethics of  various different professions and vocations. Below is the first in that series provided by Eric Van Beber and Lee Brumitt.

ETHICS IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Because the practice of law is a "profession," the ethical practice of law is valued and taught continuously. In law school, all law students must pass a course on the ethical practice of law. Before a student can practice law, he/she must successfully complete a standardized test on professional responsibility and all attorneys must attend three hours of continuing education of ethics annually. Kansas Supreme Court Rule 226, Rules of Professional Conduct, and Missouri Supreme Court Rule 4 provide in part an attorney's ethical obligations to the profession. A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of clients, an officer of the legal system, and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.

As a representative of clients, a lawyer performs various functions. As adviser, a lawyer provides a client with an informed understanding of the client's legal rights and obligations and explains their practical implications. As advocate, a lawyer zealously asserts the client’s position under the rules of the adversary system. As negotiator, a lawyer seeks a result advantageous to the client, but consistent with requirements of honest dealings with others. As an evaluator, a lawyer acts by examining a client's legal affairs and reporting about them to the client or to others.

In all professional functions, a lawyer should be competent, prompt, and diligent. A lawyer should maintain communication with a client concerning the representation. A lawyer should keep in confidence information relating to representation of a client except so far as disclosure is required or permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law.

A lawyer's conduct should conform to the requirements of the law, both in professional service to clients and in the lawyer's business and personal affairs. A lawyer should use the law's procedures only for legitimate purposes and not to harass or intimidate others. A lawyer should demonstrate respect for the legal system and for those who serve it, including judges, other lawyers, and public officials. While it is the lawyer's duty when necessary to challenge the rectitude of official action, it is also the lawyer’s duty to uphold legal process.

In both Kansas and Missouri, lawyers are ruled by the Rules of Professional Conduct which were adopted by the Kansas and Missouri Bars to ensure that its attorneys engage in the ethical practice of law. That ethical practice can also be known as professional responsibilities both to the attorney's client, other attorneys, as well as the judiciary.

Both the Kansas and Missouri Supreme Court have established branches of the judiciary which are committed to the enforcement of the ethical aspect of the practice through the Rules of Professional Conduct that have been adopted by each Supreme Court. The legal profession is largely self-governing. Although other professions have also agreed to the powers of self-government, the legal profession is unique in this respect because of the close relationship between the profession and the process of government and law enforcement. This connection is manifested in the fact that ultimate authority over the legal profession is vested largely in the Courts. To the extent that lawyers meet the obligations of their professional calling, the occasion for government regulation is obviated. Self-regulation also helps maintain the legal profession's independence from government domination. An independent legal profession is an important force in preserving government under law, for abuse of legal authority is more readily challenged by a profession whose members are not dependent on government for the right to practice.

If you as a client, believe that a lawyer has engaged in an unethical or unprofessional manner, you may file a complaint with either the Kansas or Missouri Supreme Courts’ Disciplinary Administrator. Your complaint will then be investigated by the Disciplinary Administrator, who may then call upon other members of the Bar of this state or any local or state Bar Association, to investigate or assist in the investigation of any complaint upon the terms and conditions that the Disciplinary Administrator shall direct. This is often referred to as the Review Committee. Upon completion of investigation by the Review Committee and formal hearing, there are varying types of discipline which may be taken against an attorney who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct, including but not limited to public sanction, temporary suspension
from practice, or permanent disbarment.

The respective Disciplinary Administrators can be contacted through each Supreme Court's web site at www.courts.mo.gov or www.kscourts.org.
     

Fall Work Morning

Saturday, Oct. 9, 8:00 a.m. - Noon

Now that our camping sessions and events are over for the year, it is now the time when we need to winterize the camp. Your help is needed for the following tasks:

 winterizing the cabins, administrative building and first-aid building; tearing down the outpost and the auxiliary unit; replacing wallboard in house basement; replacing fencing/gate in backyard and cutting and spraying tall grass.

Help us maintain our camp so we can all be proud of it. Call the Rotary office at 816/842-2322 and confirmed your participation for this work morning on Oct. 9.  Tyros earn six tyro points for helping out.  Donuts and coffee to get you started and lunch will be served. Remember to bring your work gloves.

Bowling News by Dick Retrum - Sept. 22, 2010

There is something to be said about investing in new bowling equipment. Naturally you're expecting a positive improvement in your game when you buy a new ball. Of course experience and basic skills are going to be important as you break it in. It may not perform just right the first time out and in some cases adjustments are required to help you and the ball reach the desired goal……Strikes.

Just ask Rick Crouch. Last week he purchased a new ball and broke it in during league play. The result was three games below his average. He was not happy. He was on last seasons first place championship team. So he took it back to the pro-shop where they determined one of the holes was not drilled correctly. They filled it and drilled a new hole……..and here's the punch line. Today he rolled a 227, 212 & 236 (675 series). The only 200 games of the day. If  he does that next week, I'm buying a new ball.

Wesley Gill bowled well today after admittedly being in a slump. But the high light of the night showed her picking up the 2,7 – 6,10 split. A difficult spare and she needed absolutely no advise from anyone about how to cover it. Congratulations!

This seasons team names are: Quality Rollers, Alley Cats, Pintimidators, Spirit, The Shuddabins, Strikers, Weir-Do's, Glitzy Gals + 3, Off-N-On, High Low, Bats, Expectations, I Have No Idea and Team 8 still has not submitted a name.