ABSTRACT
Lawyers are the vanguards of the justice system. The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct provide attorneys with a framework for carrying out their responsibilities to their clients, the courts, and society in a professional manner. The Model Rules require lawyers to provide “competent representation” to their clients in the areas of legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation. Nonetheless, parties and their lawyers pursue litigation — both as plaintiffs and as defendants — for reasons ranging from the pursuit of justice to the desire for money. The probability of winning increases with the skillful presentation of evidence. Evidence is information presented to a court to support or refute a case or a position in a lawsuit. Evidence may include oral testimony as well as tangible material such as documents, exhibits, and demonstrative aids.
