Rule 1.1 of the professional conduct rules — the competence rule — requires every attorney to bring to each representation the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the matter. It is perhaps the most fundamental of all attorney obligations, and one of the most frequently violated. Newly admitted attorneys who take on asylum cases, complex litigation, or EB-1 petitions without adequate supervision are putting clients at risk. Attorneys who expand into new practice areas without learning the relevant law are violating Rule 1.1 with every representation they undertake. The Ethics Reporter investigates competence violations across the country, examining the cases where attorneys' lack of knowledge or preparation caused real harm to real clients.