Despite a last-ditch effort to scuttle it, a new federal law subjecting government lawyers to the same ethical standards as other attorneys appears likely to go into effect Monday.
Corporate attorneys consider the law, 28 U.S.C. &530B, a necessary tool to keep in check overzealous prosecutors who contact employees outside the presence of counsel. They hope the new law, which requires government attorneys to follow state ethics rules and local federal court rules, will protect corporations from unnecessary liability in civil and criminal matters.
