This year, we are celebrating the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Texas Lawyer's Creed. Implemented in 1989, the Creed's goal is to "eliminate abusive tactics within the practice of law in Texas and promote respect and confidence in the legal profession."
Thirty-five years on, these goals remain a foundation for lawyers and legal practitioners across the state. The core tenet of the Creed is professionalism. The Creed breaks down how lawyers should act in various scenarios, including within the legal system and with clients, other lawyers, and judges .
The subtitle for the Texas Lawyer's Creed is "A Mandate for Professionalism" and it opens with the following vows:
"I am a lawyer. I am entrusted by the People of Texas to preserve and improve our legal system. I am licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas. I must therefore abide by the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, but I know that Professionalism requires more than merely avoiding the violation of laws and rules. I am committed to this Creed for no other reason than it is right."
In 2013, Buck Files (the then State Bar of Texas president) collaborated with the Supreme Court of Texas and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to reaffirm the Creed and what it stands for. In celebration of this reaffirmation, the State Bar of Texas created a poster-sized version of the Texas Lawyer's Creed. The poster, which is 24 x 36 inches, can be perfectly displayed in law offices or chambers. To receive a free copy of the poster, email professionalism@texasbar.com or call 512-427-1726.
For a closer look at how the Texas Lawyer's Creed has positively impacted the practice of law in our state, check out the November issue of the Texas Bar Journal. In the article "Celebrating Civility and Professionalism: The Texas Lawyer's Creed begins middle age," William G. Hagans and Ashley Hymel delve into the history of the Creed as well as the aspirations listed therein. Texas was the first state to adopt a lawyer's creed, and those words continue to play a vital role in the lives of legal professionals.
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