Page 171 - 2024 Orientation Manual

I. OPERATING POLICIES

A. Antitrust Avoidance
The exchange of ideas concerning the legal profession is essential for the Association
to fulfill its legitimate purposes. There are, however, subjects which are not proper for
discussion, either directly or indirectly, during meetings of the members of the
Association and its committees. To ensure that the Association and its members comply
with antitrust laws, neither the Association nor any committee, section or activity of
the Association shall be used to bring about or attempt to bring about any understanding
or agreement prohibited by the antitrust laws.
Prohibited activities include:
1. Agreeing to fix or maintain fee schedules, hourly rates, contingency fee
structures, discounts, credit terms, and incentives;
2. Meetings or conversations during which future or current fee schedules, hourly
rates, contingency fee structures, discounts, credit terms, and incentives are
discussed directly or indirectly;
3. Exchanging information about the future or current fee schedules, hourly rates,
contingency fee structures, discounts, credit terms, and incentives to be charged
or offered for legal services;
4. Agreeing to withhold patronage or services from any supplier or purchaser or
group of suppliers or purchasers of products or services, any actual or potential
competitor or group of actual or potential competitors, or any private or
government entity;
5. Agreeing to allocate markets, practice areas, clients, or to classify certain clients
as being entitled to preferential treatment;
6. Restricting, limiting, prohibiting or sanctioning advertising or solicitation that
is not false, misleading, deceptive, or directly competitive with Association
products or services.

The activities described above are prohibited, whether they occur in a formal meeting,
in an informal session, during discussions on the golf course, in a hospitality suite, a
restaurant or elsewhere. Further, these activities represent only a general statement of
the types of activities and discussions which must be avoided between members of the
Association. The advice of counsel should be sought whenever a question arises as to
whether a matter is one which may be properly discussed at a meeting.

Amended November 10, 2007

B. Code of Conduct
Members of the Board of Governors and staff assume duties and responsibilities for
the well-being of the Louisiana State Bar Association. It is the policy of the Association
that Board and staff members operate within a Code of Conduct as follows:

1. Confidentiality
Board members and staff will have access to information, that if revealed to
outsiders, could be damaging or sensitive to other members or staff, harmful to
the best interests of the organization, or even create legal liability. Information

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