What it means to ‘represent a client zealously’Missouri attorneys are well aware of Canon 7, which mandates every attorney to “represent a client zealously within the bounds of the law. ” Disciplinary Rule 7-101(A)(1) provides that “a lawyer shall not intentionally . . . fail to seek the lawful objectives of his client through reasonably available means permitted by law and the Disciplinary Rules. ” DR 7-101(A)(3) provides that “a lawyer shall not intentionally . . . prejudice or damage his client during the course of the relationship. “But what does it mean to be “zealous” for a client? Does it mean that anything an attorney does that is lawful and not barred by another canon is OK? Are attorneys required to be disagreeable, uncooperative, unreasonable, and unruly, all in the name of being zealous?Over the years, I have heard many attorneys say “I am just doing my job” or “I am just representing my client. ” But when does attorney conduct become so zealous that it is no longer effective and, in fact, is counterproductive? It is sort of like the old TV show “The Price is Right,” in which you tried to guess the price of a product, coming as close as you could without going over the top and guessing too high. If you guessed too high, you automatically lost. Being “zealous” can be very similar. If an attorney becomes uncooperative, unreasonable, and unruly, he or she risks providing their clients with a disservice rather than a service.