I tried for several years to get the State Bar of AZ to adopt a new Creed of Professionalism that I wrote. I thought we should make the creed very simple and clear and direct about how we should act like decent human beings. Didn't work lol.
Proposed creed:
Preamble
As a lawyer I must strive to make our system of justice work fairly and efficiently. In order to carry out that responsibility, I will comply with the letter and spirit of the disciplinary standards applicable to all lawyers and I will conduct myself in accordance with the following Creed of Professionalism.
1. I will be courteous, civil, honest and dignified in all situations in which I am presenting myself as a lawyer, regardless of whether I am engaged in the representation of a client, including in all oral and written communications.
2. I will be loyal to my clients cause, but I will not permit that loyalty to interfere with my ability to provide objective and independent advice, or with my professional obligations as a lawyer;
3. I will provide my client with realistic assessments of the benefits and costs of significant proposed actions and the likely outcomes under all fee arrangements offered to the client;
4. I will advise my client that it is not appropriate for me to manifest hostility toward any other participant in the clients legal matter, or to act with any goal other than the expeditious resolution of good-faith disputes;
5. I will discuss with my client when necessary any outside pressures of which I become aware that might impact the clients legal decisions, including, for example, emotional or financial stress, poor health, or family strife;
6. I will cooperate with opposing counsel, opposing parties and tribunals in matters of scheduling and will strive to appear in a timely manner for all scheduled proceedings;
7. I will resolve by agreement or stipulation wherever possible reasonable requests for extension of time, minor evidentiary objections, and all other matters that do not prejudice my clients position on the merits;
8. I will avoid communications reflecting a lack of respect for the judiciary, clients, other persons involved in legal proceedings, or the legal system in general, except when necessary in a good-faith effort to raise or resolve issues; and
9. I will endeavor to devote uncompensated time to public service, the improvement or administration of justice, and/or the causes of those persons who cannot afford adequate legal assistance.
ETA: We do already have a creed. It's just so long and so full of minutiae that no one reads it.