Legal Profession: Traversing the Ethical Minefield
Spring term, Block H/I
M,T 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Mr. Lawrence J. Fox
3 classroom credits LAW-42300A
Almost every course you take in law school makes you better able to help your clients fulfill their hopes and dreams. This course is designed to help fulfill your own professional obligations while also providing services to your clients consistent with their ethical entitlements. Through the use of hypothetical problems grounded in the real world; Susan Martyn & Lawrence Fox, Traversing the Ethical Minefield and Susan Martyn, Lawrence Fox and Brad Wendel, The Law Governing Lawyers, a standards book, the class will explore many of the challenging dilemmas that confront the conscientious lawyer who wants to conform his or her conduct to the applicable rules of professional conduct and other law governing lawyers. At the same time we will consider whether the present rules of professional conduct properly address the issues with which the profession must grapple in striking balances among the obligations of lawyers vis-a-vis clients, lawyers as officers of the court and lawyers as citizens. Class attendance and participation is essential. There will be an open book final examination of three hours' duration. Enrollment is limited to 60 students.
The classroom components of certain clinical courses satisfy the Law School's professional responsibility requirement. Ordinarily, students may not enroll in two nonclinical courses that satisfy the 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 non clinical 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.