"Viewing the ethical canons in terms of the values they exemplify can be a healthy, even inspiring exercise. The duty to adequately communicate with a client becomes "Respect". The duty to properly account for client funds becomes "Trust". The duty to avoid conflicts of interest becomes "Loyalty". Sometimes back to the basics is the most evolved approach we can take."
About Maridee Farnquist Edwards
Maridee F. Edwards holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media Communications, (Metropolitan State University,
St. Paul, MN) and a Juris Doctor from Southwestern University School of Law,
Los Angeles, California. She was the head of the agency for the Missouri Supreme Court responsible for investigating and prosecuting lawyers for ethics violations (Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel) from 2001-2006. In her twenty years as a practicing attorney, she developed expertise in the area of ethics in positions with the California Bar Association and in
Missouri; teaching continuing education classes and writing articles as a regular contributor to the Missouri Lawyers Weekly and other legal publications. <List of Articles> Her legal background includes positions as legal counsel with the Screen Actors Guild in Beverly Hills, California, and the U.S. Department of Labor, and as a mediator in the Los Angeles court system.
During her tenure as chief disciplinary counsel for
Missouri’s Supreme Court, she initiated the use of probationary status and an alternative track to discipline for instances of lesser misconduct. These alternative options included an internal telephonic mediation process, as well as utilization of the Missouri Bar Complaint Resolution and fee dispute mediation/ arbitration programs. Historically, the disciplinary options in the state ranged from admonition or reprimand to suspension or disbarment, without an option to allow an attorney to continue practice where public harm was not likely, provided remedial measures were undertaken by the attorney. Edwards prompted and participated in a project with The Bar Plan insurance company, The Missouri Bar, and its Fee Dispute Resolution Committee, to formulate sample fee agreements for downloading by lawyers from the Missouri Bar website. Numerous procedural rules streamlining and improving consistency in the investigation and hearing process for attorney disciplinary committees were initiated during her tenure. Other accomplishments include revamping and review of the amended Rules of Professional Conduct proposed by the ABA, as well as implementation of modern technological advances for the office. She appointed the first Legal Ethics Counsel to the newly established position which was developed, with her urging, to provide lawyers with a neutral, non-prosecutorial setting for obtaining advice on ethics questions.
Presently, Ms. Edwards has a private practice in professional ethics and licensing matters, and mediation of disputes in the central
Missouri area. She holds licenses to practice in
Missouri, as well as in
Minnesota and
California, (the latter two in a voluntary inactive status at present). She has been a featured speaker at Bar events, continuing education seminars and other conferences. In 2008, she was asked to participate in the voluntary panel for peer review audits for the American Public Transportation Association. She has participated on a peer review audit of the Inspector General's office of a public transportation authority in southern
California, along with other national representatives of investigatory and auditing agencies. She is one of the hearing officers for the Board of Police Commissioners in
St. Louis. Edwards also conducts ethics seminars as applied to general workplace settings and as continuing education for professional groups (including the Central Missouri Institute of Internal Auditors; The Project Management Institute; groups of educators and business professionals.) Edwards is an adjunct professor for
William
Woods
University,
Fulton Missouri.
The scope of her representation includes defense of both disciplinary complaints and admissions matters (“license denial”) as well as reinstatement proceedings.(i.e. license renewal issues)
