Rule 3.9 Advocate in Nonadjudicative Proceedings

When a lawyer speaks to a lawmaking group or government agency on behalf of a client, and the situation is not a formal hearing or trial, the lawyer has to make it clear they are there representing someone else. They cannot pretend to be speaking just for themselves or as a neutral party.

The lawyer also has to follow the same honesty and fairness rules that apply in courtrooms. This means the lawyer cannot lie to the body they are addressing, cannot hide important information when they are required to share it, and cannot try to improperly influence the people they are talking to. They also cannot destroy evidence, encourage witnesses to lie, or ignore reasonable rules set by the group they are appearing before.

Basically, this rule stops lawyers from using informal government meetings as a loophole to act dishonestly or unfairly. Even outside a courtroom, if a lawyer is advocating for a client in front of government decision makers, they still have to play by the same basic rules of honesty and fair dealing that apply in a real legal case.