1970–1979

1979 | 1978 | 1977 | 1976 | 1975 | 1974 | 1973 | 1972 | 1971 | 1970

The following constitute all published opinions of the NSPE Board of Ethical Review. Opinions issued by the NSPE Board of Ethical review prior to 1980 are provided solely for historic purposes and may no longer be valid because of changes to the NSPE Code of Ethics as well as legal and regulatory requirements. Many of these cases can be purchased in bound copies through the online catalog >>

Note: BER cases are in PDF and require free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view.

NSPE BER Cases from 1979

Case 79-1: Conflict of Interest—Payment from Related Party
Case 79-2: Public Criticism—Environmental Concerns
Case 79-3: Public Communications—Exhibit at Trade Show—Tour of Construction Site
Case 79-4: Conflict of Interest—Public Advisory Board
Case 79-5: Academic Qualifications
Case 79-6: Advertising—Statement of Project Success
Case 79-7: Review of Original Engineer's Design
Case 79-8: Gift to Public Official
Case 79-9: Identification of Firm Ownership—Specification of Products of Owner
Case 79-10: Taking Over Clients of Former Employer

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NSPE BER Cases from 1978

Case 78-0: Retired County Engineer Opens Consulting Practice
Case 78-1: Name of Non-Engineer in Professional Corporation
Case 78-2: Employment of Former Convicted Engineer
Case 78-3: Conflict of Interest—Binary Service to Same Client
Case 78-4: Conflict of Interest—Design Commissions and Fund Raising
Case 78-5: Post lnterview Change in Joint Venture Team
Case 78-6: Naming of Staff Engineer in Firm as Inducement for Contract
Case 78-7: Commission Basis of Payment Under Marketing Agreement
Case 78-8: Advertising of Company
Case 78-9: Conflict of Interest—Services on Same Project
Case 78-10: Related Services for Private Party Following Public Employment

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NSPE BER Cases from 1977
Case 77-1: Use of Sales Organization on Basis of Stipulated and Percentage of Contract Amount
Case 77-2: Dual Use of Business Card
Case 77-3: Appropriate Compensation for Engineering Services
Case 77-4: Contingent Contract—Engineer Retained on Speculative Basis
Case 77-5: Use of Another's Project Study
Case 77-6: Continued Practice Under No Competition Agreement
Case 77-7: Obligation to Write Letter of Recommendation for Other Engineers
Case 77-8: Selection of Former Member of Selection Team for Promotion 
Case 77-9: Favoritism in Award of Engineering Contract
Case 77-10: Value Engineering—Contingency Fee
Case 77-11: Supplanting—Promotion of Work by Former Employees
Case 77-12: Contingent Contract—Industrial Design

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NSPE BER Cases from 1976
Case 76-1: Review of Engineering Work by Non-registered Engineer
Case 76-2: Conflict of Interest—Engineer Ownership of Construction firm
Case 76-3: Conflict of Interest—Consultant to County Testimony Adverse to County Client
Case 76-4: Public Welfare—Knowledge of Information Damaging to Client's Interest
Case 76-5: Supplanting—Use of Second Engineer After Bankruptcy of Client
Case 76-6: Gifts to Foreign Officials
Case 76-7: Promotional Letter—Emphasis on Non-Insurance of other firms
Case 76-8: Free Engineering—Preliminary sketch and Cost Estimate of Facility 
Case 76-9: Conflict of Interest—Turnkey Procedure
Case 76-10: Brochure—Distribution through Reader Service Card
Case 76-11: Contingent Contract—Fee Dependent on Lower Construction Cost
Case 76-12: Political Contributions—Solicitation by Retained Consultant
Case 76-13: Peer Evaluation of Faculty Members Under Collective Bargaining Agreement

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NSPE BER Cases from 1975

Case 75-1: Competitive Bidding—Salary Request in Recruiting Advertisement
Case 75-2: Advertising—Announcement Cards
Case 75-3: Ethical Association with Other Engineers
Case 75-4: Advertising - Testing and Engineering Laboratory
Case 75-5: Personal Misconduct
Case 75-6: Brochure—Text and Built-in Reply Card
Case 75-7: Conflict of Interest—Membership on Public Agency
Case 75-8: Selection of Engineers—Finders' Fees—Contingent Contract
Case 75-9: Case 75-9
Case 75-10: Conflict of Interest—Specifying Equipment of Employer
Case 75-11: Plagiarism
Case 75-12: Promotional Seminar
Case 75-13: Political Contributions to Political Action Committee
Case 75-14: Political Candidacy—Criticism of Other Engineers
Case 75-15: Attempt to Restrain Employment of Engineer–Employees
Case 75-16: Group Advertisement by Engineering Firms

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NSPE BER Cases from 1974

Case 74-1: Name of Firm on Baseball Uniforms
Case 74-2: Conflict of Interest—Municipal Engineer
Case 74-3: Participation in Strike by Publicly Employed Engineers
Case 74-4: Conflict of Interest—Part-Time Consultant
Case 74-5: Exhibit at Association Meetings
Case 74-6: Engineering and Non-engineering Services by Same Firm
Case 74-7: Letterheads—Promotional Statements
Case 74-8: Brochures—Format and Content
Case 74-9: Competitive Bidding—Selection Procedures
Case 74-10: Political Announcement on Firm Stationery
Case 74-11: Expert Witness—Patent Ownership

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NSPE BER Cases from 1973

Case 73-1: Advertising Professional Cards
Case 73-2: Classified Advertisement Contract Work
Case 73-3: Ethical Conduct by Engineer-Members of Public Body
Case 73-4: Contingent Fee—Fee Based on Savings to Client
Case 73-5: Advertising—Directory
Case 73-6: Political Contributions
Case 73-7: Supplanting Another Engineer—Indefinite Contract
Case 73-8: Solicitation of Business by Mail
Case 73-9: Endorsement of Project by Local Chapter

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NSPE BER Cases from 1972

Case 72-1: Advertising—Bold Face in Telephone Directory
Case 72-2: Conflict of Interest—Use of "Free Engineering" from Manufacturer
Case 72-3: Advertising Direct Mail Solicitation Supplanting Another Engineer
Case 72-4: Supplanting Another Engineer Employee Participation Registration Adverse Comments on Applicant
Case 72-5: Restrictive Employment Agreement
Case 72-6: Providing Services to Ultimate Client
Case 72-7: Competitive Bidding Study Contracts
Case 72-8: Advertising—Distribution of Laudatory Article

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NSPE BER Cases from 1971

Case 71-1: Credit for Engineering Work Cover Sheet and Advertisement for Bids
Case 71-2: Brokerage of Engineering Services
Case 71-4: Expert Testimony Report and Redesign by Another Engineer
Case 71-5: Boycott of Public Agency Engineering Employment
Case 71-6: Conflict of Interest—Nominal Ownership
Case 71-7: Solicitation of Support for Political Candidate
Case 71-8: Advertising—Recruiting
Case 71-9: Competitive Bidding - Rental of Aircraft
Case 71-10: Supplanting Another Engineer Nonpayment
Case 71-11: Advertising Use of Brochure Tied to Professional Directory Card

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NSPE BER Cases from 1970

Case 70-1: Promotional Distribution Of Planning Report
Case 70-2: Operation of Related Business for Nonprofessional Services
Case 70-3: Unauthorized Use of Drawings of Other Firm
Case 70-4: Performance of Nonprofessional Services During Strike
Case 70-5: Dispute Between Engineers in Public Service
Case 70-6: Conflict Of Interest—Member Of Legislature

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