In January 1980 the Commission on Evaluation of Professional Standards released a draft of proposed Model Rules of Professional Conduct. That draft is not a final draft, nor even a tentative one, but a Discussion Draft. By that title, and by the appearance of the draft in typescript the Commission has attempted to convey that the proposed Rules are a series of ideas meriting discussion, not fixed positions that we are prepared to aggressively defend. We know that the Discussion Draft requires editorial revision, that its substance needs additional refinement, that its policies deserve reconsideration. But after two and one-half years of dialogue, study, drafting, debate, and redrafting, we thought the Model Rules would gain much from the fresh perspective and critical appraisal that others could provide. To that end we solicited comments from lawyers and the public hoping to stimulate a public discussion of the role of lawyers in American society. That discussion will ultimately lead to a final draft of proposed Model Rules that reflects the best thinking of our profession as a whole.