Legal Profession
Fall term, Block H/I
M,T 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Visiting Professor Annette Gordon-Reed
3 classroom credits LAW-42300A
In this course we will examine the American legal profession from a historical perspective. That means we will consider the development of the profession from the country's beginnings up until the present, reflecting upon how culture and society shape law and how law, in turn, shapes culture and society. Along the way, students will be introduced to the ethical and professional issues that confront lawyers throughout their careers. These issues represent some of the most difficult aspects of practicing law and can often be a major source of dissatisfaction among lawyers. We will discuss what it means to be a member of a profession, and the responsibilities and moral challenges that attend that membership. The course will examine the legal profession in a variety of contexts--lawyers in private practice, in the public sector and in public interest. jobs. We will also consider the institutions that regulate professional conduct, such as bar associations, disciplinary committees and courts. Although the students will become familiar with the Rules and Codes of Professional Responsibility adopted by the states, the course will be much broader in scope than a mere focus on those rules.
Ordinarily, students may not enroll in two nonclinical courses that satisfy the professional responsibility requirement.The classroom components of certain clinical courses satisfy the Law School's professional responsibility requirement. Students may enroll in a second clinical course with a professional responsibility component, but the course taken second will be reduced by one classroom credit. Students enrolling in a clinical course which satisfies the professional responsibility requirement but who have already completed a nonclinical professional responsibility course will ordinarily receive one less classroom credit for their clinical course. In other situations where students take a second course that satisfies the professional responsibility requirement, the second course may be reduced by one classroom credit if there is substantial overlap in professional responsibility coverage with the first course. Students should check with the Registrar's Office if they have a question about professional responsibility requirement courses.