Lawyers are the only “self-governing” profession. At least in theory, all lawyers are supposed to do their job, while meeting a minimum standard of rules of professional conduct. Of course, divorce lawyers often ignore these rules so they can make the situation between parents worse and to create conflict–because conflict allows them to bill attorney’s fees.
For many people, especially a parent that has to oppose one of these unethical attorneys alone (pro se), understanding the ethical rules is critical to pushing back against their tactics.
The first step is to read the Rules of Professional Conduct for your state or territory. If your location’s link is not working or outdated, use your favorite search engine with the search terms: “<Your State Name Here> Rules of Professional Conduct.” You may also check the American Bar Association’s list of state specific professional responsibility resources.
I suggest that you download the PDF version of your state or territory’s rules and print them in booklet form so they are easy to reference.