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art. 3.2

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Rule 3.2 Expediting Litigation

Advocate

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Rule Text

A lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to expedite litigation consistent with the interests of the client.

Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)

This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.

Lawyers need to keep cases moving forward instead of dragging them out. If a case can be resolved faster without hurting the client's interests, the lawyer should take steps to make that happen.

This means lawyers can't stall or delay a case just to run up legal fees, wear down the other side, or cause unnecessary trouble. Things like filing pointless motions, asking for delays that aren't needed, or dragging out the discovery process just to be difficult all go against this rule.

At the same time, the rule doesn't force a lawyer to rush through a case if taking more time actually helps the client. Some cases genuinely need extra time to prepare properly, gather evidence, or negotiate a fair outcome. The key idea is that any delay should have a real reason behind it, not just be a tactic to slow things down or make the process harder on the other side.

Committee Notes

No committee notes available for this rule.

← Previous Rule 3.1: Meritorious Claims and Contentions Next → Rule 3.3: Candor Toward the Tribunal