In a proposal by the ABC Commission on Ethics 20/20, twenty-three law firms have joined business clients from around the country calling for a uniform set of lawyer regulations so that American lawyers can compete in the global economy.

“We are convinced that thecurrent array of regulations governing lawyers in the U.S. significantlyhinders such flexibility, resultsin inefficiencies and higher costs in the delivery of legal services,and ultimately will lead to U.S. law firms being placed at a competitivedisadvantage in an increasingly global market,” reads the proposal submitted bythe Law Firm General Counsel Roundtable. See http://www.abajournal.com/files/ABA_Ethics_Commission_Proposals_--_3-8-11.pdf

Currently the state-by-state regulations place American attorneys at a huge disadvantage if they want to work across state lines. There is a great need for attorneys who have the ability to work nationally due to the increase in global and multinational corporations, in addition to a much more mobile international population.  If the proposal gains any traction we could see the implementation of national standards and the elimination of the state bar exam.   A set of national professional standards could be good news for attorneys, especially those who have found themselves unemployed during this recession. As it stands, an attorney who wants to work in another state is required to pass the bar exam in the state in which they want to work. This can be a considerable obstacle, and costly in both time and money.  If we implemented national professional standards for attorneys this barrier to attorney movement across state lines would be eliminated.