Legal Ethics
Past Offerings
Legal Ethics (6001): This course will explore the real-world ethical issues attorneys will invariably face during their legal careers. Our objective is to prepare students for the messy (and even career-jeopardizing) situations they will encounter upon entering the profession--with a particular focus on private law firm practice (where many students begin their careers), while also considering the special circumstances encountered by government lawyers and in-house counsel. Students will review the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct, state bar ethics opinions, and court cases, as well as current events drawn from headlines in the legal press. Rather than offering a broad survey of the rules, the course will prioritize the issues students are most likely to confront in their careers. We will also explore topical issues such as judicial ethics and the practical pitfalls of rapidly-changing technology, while further examining the role of civility, diversity, and justice in shaping a bar that best serves the not-always-aligned interests of clients, society, and our own personal values. Students are expected to participate in lively dialogue, and grades will be based on a final exam, periodic reflection papers, and classroom contributions.
Sections
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2024-2025 SpringSchedule No Longer Available
Legal Ethics (6001): This course will offer a broad overview of the ethical issues attorneys face throughout their legal careers. We will explore not just the rules that govern the practice of law, but the real-world scenarios that arise in modern law practice. Our objective is to prepare students for the thorny (and at times career-jeopardizing) situations they will invariably encounter upon entering the profession--whether in law firms, government, or public interest organizations. Students will review the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct as well as ethics opinions, court cases, and media reports on a wide range of ethical issues. The course will also examine matters of professionalism and equity in the interests of shaping a more collegial, mutually respectful bar. Students are expected to participate in lively dialogue, and grades will be based on a final exam as well as classroom participation.
Sections
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2023-2024 AutumnSchedule No Longer Available