Cross reference tables for the current Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct to the Code of Professional Responsibility and vice versa are available as a PDF. The Standing Committee on Legal Ethics was established to issue advisory opinions interpreting and applying the Rules of Professional Conduct.1 Employment of Disbarred,. You cannot have failed any bar exam in the last five (5) years. You can only have failed two (2) bar exams ever. Legal ethics and professional responsibility resources: state, national and international organizations, law schools, and other ABA resources. This article focuses on several familiar topics of legal ethics and how they apply to the inhouse lawyer. (a) (1) When used in these Rules, the word "counsel" includes a partnership, a professional corporation or an association of members of the Virginia State Bar. However, private state bar associations regulate the right to practice law in a few states. Since 2004, Virginia has operated as a pure referral fee state.