Canon 4: A Federal Public Defender Employee May Engage in Activities to Improve the Law, the Legal System, and the Administration of Justice

A defender employee, subject to the proper performance of official duties, may engage in the law-related activities enumerated below.

A. A defender employee may speak, write, lecture, teach, and participate in other activities concerning defender services, the legal system, and the administration of justice.

B. A defender employee may serve as a member, officer, or director of an organization or governmental agency devoted to the improvement of the law, the legal system, or the administration of justice. A defender employee may assist such an organization in raising funds and may participate in the management and investment of such funds. A defender employee may make recommendations to public and private fund-granting agencies on projects and programs concerning the law, the legal profession, and the administration of justice. A defender employee may solicit funds for law-related activities, subject to the following limitations:

(1) A defender employee should not use or permit the use of the prestige of the office in the solicitation of funds.

(2) A defender employee should not solicit subordinates to contribute funds to any such activity but may provide information to them about a general fund-raising campaign.

(3) A defender employee should not solicit or accept funds from lawyers, clients, or other persons likely to have official business with the federal public defender office, except as an incident to a general fund-raising activity.

C. A defender employee may promote the development of professional organizations and foster the interchange of information and experience with others in the profession. A defender employee may make himself or herself available to the public at large for speaking engagements and public appearances designed to enhance the public’s knowledge of the operation of defender services and the criminal justice system.