Rule 1.1 Competence

Lawyers have to know what they're doing when they take on your case. That means they need to understand the law that applies to your situation, have the right skills to handle it, and put in the work needed to prepare properly.

If a lawyer takes on a case that's too complicated for their experience, they need to either learn what's necessary, team up with another lawyer who has the right background, or turn down the case. The same goes for preparation. A lawyer can't just show up unprepared and wing it. They need to research the issues, understand the facts, and get ready in a way that gives the client a real shot at a good outcome.

This rule exists to protect clients from sloppy or careless legal work. If a lawyer doesn't have the knowledge or doesn't put in the effort a case requires, that's a problem the rule is meant to catch.