Words like “reasonable” are what assure that lawyers will never lack for work. We can endlessly debate, litigate and then decide what “reasonable” means without ever coming to agreement. Hence, the never-ending flow of cases involving the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition against unreasonable searches and seizure.
A more mundane application of the term has great impact on the professional lives of lawyer. Rule 1.4 of the Rules of Professional Conduct requires reasonable communication with clients. We must “reasonably consult with” a client about the objectives of the cases we handle; we must keep clients “reasonably informed about the status of the matter;” we must “promptly comply with reasonable requests for information.”
