Policy and Guidelines on Adopting Position Statements
The ECBA on occasion may be asked by its members, committees, sections, divisions, interested persons or groups from the community at large, or other bar associations or organizations, to issue a Statement. This is so because the ECBA is uniquely suited to advance the interests of its membership and/or promote the public's understanding of and respect for our American system of law and justice, the rule of law, and the judiciary as contemplated by the Rules.
In response to such requests, the ECBA must weigh whether to take a formal position, educate its members and/or the public on these issues or decline to issue a Statement. The ECBA's role is not to issue Statements or take positions that are purely political in nature or outside the scope of our ethical responsibilities. The ECBA, for example, does not have a legislative committee. Nor does it have staff to formulate positions on and advocate for or against legislation on a regular basis. There are also issues that come before the ECBA that might be considered controversial, divisive, or unnecessarily political.
The ECBA's response to such requests must be based exclusively upon the dual purpose of either advancing the ECBA's mission, or fulfilling our ethical responsibilities as set forth in the Rules and, whenever possible, both.
