The most common phobia in America is the fear of public speaking; supposedly more prevalent than claustrophobia and fear of heights, combined. These fears may worry lay people, but we lawyers have other bugaboos. For example, the specter of an ethics grievance can paralyze a lawyer. Even attorneys with no reason to anticipate discipline are often shaken by the process and may suffer anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sleeplessness and nausea.
A distance behind our fear of the grievance is our fear of today’s topic: the randomethics audit. This is the Sword of Damocles that comes free with a seat at the bar. Many readers will have already experienced one, or even several, random audits during their careers. This article may help attorneys better understand them, so they may approach their own more comfortably and be better able to advise an anxious colleague.
