How are ethics and professional responsibility courses defined?

Ethics and/or professional responsibility courses or segments of courses are devoted to:

1. the substance, underlying rationale, and the practical application of the Rules of Professional Conduct;
2. the professional obligations of the attorney to the client, the court, the public, and other lawyers;
3. substance abuse and its effects on lawyers and the practice of law; and
4. diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias. Diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias programs and courses relevant to the practice of law may include, among other topics, implicit and explicit bias, equal access to justice, serving a diverse population, diversity and inclusion initiatives in the legal profession, and cultural competency in the practice of law or the administration of justice (BCLE Reg. 103:1(k)).