Author Index Charles J. Northrup

The Ethics of Giving

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2026
Column
, Page 50
What does it mean that Illinois is the one state without a version of ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 6.1 on voluntary giving?

You Are Excused

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2025
Column
, Page 48
The American Bar Association issues guidance on the ethical use of peremptory challenges … and more.

How Time Flies

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2025
Column
, Page 40
The Illinois Supreme Court’s new rules on intermediary connecting services provide practical and clear guidance to participating lawyers.
1 comment (Most recent July 31, 2025)

Clear and Unambiguous Duty

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2025
Column
, Page 44
Internal investigations and the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.

Don’t Be a Corner Cutter

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2025
Column
, Page 42
Perseverance is an attorney’s secret weapon for zealous lawyering and attention to detail.

Autumn Bloom

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2024
Column
, Page 44
Fall is a good time of year for reinforcing the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers, new and seasoned.

Let’s Celebrate the 4s!

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2024
Column
, Page 44
Guidance on using the professional designation “of counsel.”

Contemporaneous Time and Billing Records

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2024
Column
, Page 38
Don’t let ignorance or bad habits keep you from your responsibility—or your fee.

Ethics at Work

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2024
Column
, Page 44
Do not leave behind the ISBA’s ethics Advisory Opinions from 2023.

Giving the Devil His Due

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2023
Column
, Page 46
When lawyers are obligated to give clients what they might not want.

The Best and Worst of Times

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2023
Column
, Page 46
A tale of two ABA ethics opinions.

Let’s Make a Deal (But Not Without the Client)

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2023
Column
, Page 44
Using your authority to accept a settlement wisely by keeping your client in the loop.

The Illinois Disciplinary Year in Review: 2022 Edition

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2023
Column
, Page 44
A review of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission’s disciplinary data and cases from 2022.

Judges in the News

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2022
Column
, Page 46
The new Illinois Judicial Code of Conduct has plenty to say to attorneys, too.

Yep, It’s on You

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2022
Column
, Page 44
Implicit and explicit throughout legal ethics are the lawyer’s nondelegable responsibilities.

To Represent or Not to Represent?

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2022
Column
, Page 48
Use discretion when deciding to represent a client. Sometimes, it’s not really your choice.

Lawyers Can Make Lousy Clients

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2022
Column
, Page 46
When going pro se, glean some wisdom from the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.

Frivolousness for the Rest of Us

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2021
Column
, Page 50
A reminder of the foundational professional obligation that must be met in every litigation matter.

Lawyers Without Borders

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2021
Column
, Page 52
Guidance on practicing Illinois law out of state.

No, I Am Not a Cat

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2021
Column
, Page 50
When to be as quiet as a mouse on Zoom.

It’s a Process

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2021
Column
, Page 48
Attorneys must possess and use good judgment. But what does good judgment even mean?

Foresight Is 2020 This Year: Part 2

By Charles J. Northrup
July
2020
Column
, Page 54
COVD-19? What COVID-19? The conflicts remain the same—material limitations.

Foresight Is 2020 This Year, Part 1

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2020
Column
, Page 44
Consider revisiting basic conflict-of-interest rules to sharpen your ethical vision.

The “DNA” Client

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2019
Column
, Page 54
Representing clients that can’t, by definition, communicate or make decisions.

It’s Spring!

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2019
Column
, Page 50
Time for a "birds and bees" discussion about client development.

Crossing the Threshold

By Charles J. Northrup
January
2019
Column
, Page 52
What are your ethical duties regarding an impaired lawyer?

False, Misleading, and Worth Your Attention

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2018
Column
, Page 52
Revisiting the ethical principles guiding Illinois Rule of Professional Conduct 7.1.
1 comment (Most recent October 11, 2018)

Limited Scope Representation in Transactions - Put It in Writing

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2018
Column
, Page 52
No written agreement is required in Illinois for limited scope transactional work. But as a recent New York case shows, it's best to put it in writing.

Inform Yourself about Informed Consent

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2017
Column
, Page 52
Nearly a third of Illinois ethics rules require lawyers to get a client's informed consent before proceeding. But what is "informed consent"?

Ethics and Airport Lawyers

By Charles J. Northrup
April
2017
Column
, Page 50
Here's why the prohibition against in-person solicitation almost certainly didn't apply to lawyers who advertised their services in response to President Trump's immigration order.

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