A proposed investigation into government lawyers’ conduct, criminal charges over Arkansas bar exam records and fresh questions about artificial intelligence billing are putting the legal profession’s ethical obligations under scrutiny.

In Washington, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes said she intends to appoint former U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu as a special master to investigate whether Justice and Interior Department lawyers committed ethics violations in litigation over the Trump administration’s plans for East Potomac Golf Links. Liu, who served as the District of Columbia’s top federal prosecutor during President Donald Trump’s first term, would assist the court in examining the government’s conduct, The Washington Post reported.

In Arkansas, former court administrator Nancie Givens faces 65 felony counts of tampering with public records after an investigation found “extensive irregularities” in bar exam results from 2020 through 2025, according to prosecutors. Givens resigned in February as executive director of the Arkansas Supreme Court’s Office of Professional Programs, Reuters reported.

Artificial intelligence is raising a different set of professional questions. The New York State Bar Association is calling for restrictions on billing clients for time saved through AI or spent learning to use the technology, according to the ABA Journal.

Privilege is also drawing attention. A JD Supra analysis revisits whether legal advice developed with an AI system remains protected, taking into account recent case law, judicial commentary and regulatory guidance. The analysis focuses on legal advice privilege rather than litigation privilege, where the effects of AI use may differ.

Meanwhile, Texas’ incoming chief justice, Democrat Maggie Ellis, wants the state to reconsider its decision to end its relationship with the American Bar Association over law school accreditation. The all-Republican court voted earlier this year to end the arrangement over the ABA’s diversity, equity and inclusion requirements. Ellis told Bloomberg Law she hopes the reconstituted court will revisit the issue after she joins and leads it in January.

Other developments highlight pressure on the profession’s regulatory framework. A Wall Street Journal opinion article examined how restrictions on outside ownership and noncompete agreements affect law firms following a partner exodus at Weil Gotshal. In the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Justice announced a comprehensive review of whether legal services regulation remains fit for purpose.

The week also brought a notable career transition: former Sidley associate Melat Kiros became the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress. Sidley terminated Kiros in November 2023 after she published an open letter titled “Dear Law Firms,” Law.com reported.

The ABA’s accreditation council is scheduled to hold an open session on Nov. 13 in Palm Springs, California, with in-person and virtual attendance available.