I already published our Top Ten [USA] Legal Ethics Stories of 2013 and linked to the Canadian list (by Alice Woolley). As for the top ethics story outside of North America, all I can offer is my own view based upon what was blogged here, and that means that R v Farooqi & Ors [2013] EWCA Crim 1649 is the top such story. It provided guidance on the limits of the trial lawyer's advocacy in the context of England and Wales. Posts here and here.