Legal Ethics and Government Lawyers in Canada

Government lawyers occupy a uniquely complex professional position: they are subject simultaneously to the ethics of legal practice and the obligations of public service. Yet these two bodies of law were not designed with each other in mind, and their intersection is frequently fraught. While the norms of lawyering centre on the individual lawyer in private practice, the public service operates within a tiered hierarchy of authority and accountability. When duties as a lawyer and duties as a public servant conflict, what should a government lawyer do?Legal Ethics and Government Lawyers in Canada explores and explains these tensions, situating them within the distinct framework of Canadian constitutional and administrative law. Topics include political activity, federalism and the division of powers, confidentiality and whistleblowing, and under-funding. Special chapters address the distinct ethical obligations facing Crown attorneys and lawyers in the Canadian Armed Forces – two groups with their own particular pressures and professional responsibilities. Andrew Flavelle Martin's rich analysis makes this book a valuable resource for government lawyers, law students, and those seeking to understand the ethical complexities at the intersection of legal practice and public service in Canada.