Digital Commons Network^™

The Attorney General's Forgotten Role As Legal Advisor To The Legislature: A Comment On Schmidt V Canada (Attorney General), Andrew Martin

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

In Schmidt v Canada (Attorney General), the Federal Court of Appeal interpreted a series of provisions requiring the Minister of Justice to inform the House of Commons if government bills or proposed regulations are “inconsistent with” the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms or the Canadian Bill of Rights. The Federal Court of Appeal, like the Federal Court below, held that these provisions are triggered only where there is no credible argument for consistency. In doing so, both Courts relied, in part, on a separation of powers argument. They stated that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General is not …

Law School News: Are You Experienced? 01-18-2019, Michael M. Bowden

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Myth Of The Attorney Whistleblower, Carliss N. Chatman

Scholarly Articles

Notwithstanding the political grandstanding and legal regimes put in place to prevent the next Enron, this article explores whether attorney whistleblower provisions provided in the Standards of Professional Conduct for Attorneys Appearing and Practicing Before the Commission in the Representation of an Issuer and in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct are effective. When faced with attorney involvement in Enron, Congress passed § 307 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (Sarbanes), which required the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to amend its standards governing the conduct of attorneys practicing before the SEC. In response, the SEC and the American Bar Association …

Conflicts Of Interest And Law-Firm Structure, Cassandra Burke Robertson

Faculty Publications

Business and law are increasingly practiced on a transnational scale, and law firms are adopting new business structures in order to compete on this global playing field. Over the last decade, global law firms have merged into so-called “mega-brands” or “mega-firms”—that is, associations of national or regional law firms that join together under a single brand worldwide. For law firms, the most common mega-firm structure has been the Swiss verein, though the English “Company Limited by Guarantee” structure is growing in popularity as well, as is the similar “European Economic Interest Grouping.” All of these structures allow related entities to …

University Legal Counsel: The Role And Its Challenges, Sally Gunz, Marianne M. Jennings

Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy

No abstract provided.

When Less Is More: The Limitless Potential Of Limited Scope Representation To Increase Access To Justice For Low- To Moderate-Income Individuals, Kristy D'Angelo-Corker

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Attorney-Client Privilege And The Kovel Doctrine: Should Wisconsin Extend The Privilege To Communications With Third-Party Consultants?

Marquette Law Review

In today’s marketplace, the way that corporations conduct business is drastically changing, and lawyers are increasingly relying on third-party consultants, such as accountants or investment bankers, to facilitate them in providing accurate legal advice to corporate clients. Despite this reliance, whether the attorney–client privilege protects the communications between an attorney and a third-party consultant is often questioned. In United States v. Kovel, the Second Circuit found that the attorney–client privilege extended to communications between an attorney and a third-party consultant who acted as an interpreter. However, both federal and state courts have since split over the proper scope of the …

When Less Is More: The Limitless Potential Of Limited Scope Representation To Increase Access To Justice For Low- To Moderate-Income Individuals, Kristy D'Angelo-Corker

Marquette Law Review

Both attorneys and judges take an oath to promote justice for all, however,

that is not the case in our current system. The world we live in today looks

incredibly different than it did just a few years ago and, as a result, the practice

of law must adapt to meet the changing needs of individuals in this new era.

Notably, the access to justice problem, specifically affecting low- to moderateincome

individuals, requires a shift in the availability of legal services

provided. Limited scope representation, which has been accepted by the

American Bar Association for 20+ years, where an attorney …

Should Robots Prosecute And Defend?, Stephen E. Henderson

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Ai/Esq.: Impacts Of Artificial Intelligence In Lawyer-Client Relationships, Chris Chambers Goodman

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Doing Justice: Judging And Jewish Values, Judith Bartnoff

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Myth Of The Attorney Whistleblower, Carliss N. Chatman

SMU Law Review

Notwithstanding the political grandstanding and legal regimes put in place to prevent the next Enron, this article explores whether attorney whistleblower provisions provided in the Standards of Professional Con- duct for Attorneys Appearing and Practicing Before the Commission in the Representation of an Issuer and in the Model Rules of Professional Con- duct are effective. When faced with attorney involvement in Enron, Congress passed § 307 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act (Sarbanes), which required the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to amend its standards governing the conduct of attorneys practicing before the SEC. In response, the SEC and the American …

Aba Model Rule 8.4(G) In The States, Josh Blackman

Catholic University Law Review

This essay will provide a brief overview of how the states have responded to

ABA Model Rule 8.4(g). Part I reviews opinions from four state attorneys

general who concluded that the rule is unconstitutional: Texas, South Carolina,

Louisiana, and Tennessee. Part II discusses the states that considered the rule

with modifications. Part III reviews the states that considered Rule 8.4(g) as

drafted. So far, only one state adopted the rule: Vermont. However, the process

is still not over, and other states are currently considering the rule.

The Three Ages Of Modern American Lawyering And The Current Crisis In The Legal Profession And Legal Education, Rachel F. Moran

Faculty Scholarship

During the first months of 2018, two short pieces on legal education were published. One reported on the results of a survey of college graduates, law school graduates, and holders of other advanced degrees. The study found that today’s law graduates were less likely than pre-recession counterparts to report that the J.D. degree was worth the cost and more likely to have second thoughts about the decision to go to law school. The findings prompted Aaron Taylor, executive director of the Access Lex Center for Legal Education Excellence, to conclude that there are “two distinct worlds of law graduates” made …

Legal Ethics And Canada's Military Lawyers, Andrew Martin

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

English Abstract: Military lawyers—lawyers who are legal officers in the Canadian Forces— are virtually ignored in the Canadian legal literature. This article assesses what appear to be the most striking potential legal ethics issues facing military lawyers. Several of these issues arise because military lawyers are both lawyers and military officers at the same time, and therefore face two sets of obligations that interact in complex ways. Some issues, however, arise because of the special practice contexts of military lawyers, for example, advising military commanders on the law of armed conflict. As context for this discussion, the article examines the …

Cannabis Law, The Constitution, And The Aba Model Rules, Hayley Hollis

Lewis & Clark Law Review

Though a growing number of states have legalized recreational or medical cannabis use, cannabis is still categorized as a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, and its use, possession, and cultivation are federal offenses. This conflict between state and federal law creates a unique challenge for the legal community. Unless states with legalized cannabis programs have amended their state rules of professional conduct or provided advisory opinions on the matter, local attorneys assume a great deal of risk when representing clients within the cannabis industry.

To further complicate matters, what happens when a lawyer, who is licensed to …

Global Networks And The Legal Profession, Laurel S. Terry

Faculty Scholarly Works

The importance of networks and the power of exponential growth within networks have become much more apparent to the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Article addresses the topic of global legal profession networks. The introductory section provides information about our global economy and society that helps explain why global legal profession networks are valuable. It argues that global networks are beneficial for clients, lawyers, and other legal services stakeholders.

After introducing some of the scientific literature about networks in general and legal profession networks specifically, Section II identifies ways in which lawyers participate in global legal …

Reading The Prisoner's Letter: Attorney-Client Confidentiality In Inmate Correspondence, Gregory Sisk, Michelle King, Joy Nissen Beitzel, Bridget Duffus, Katherine Koehler

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

No one in our society has a more compelling need to communicate in complete confidence with a lawyer than a prisoner, when challenging a conviction as wrongful or prison conditions as unlawful. No one has a greater need to be able to engage in the uninhibited discussion of highly personal matters, tragic events, and official misconduct. A prisoner’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech, access to the courts, due process, and assistance of counsel are placed in unique jeopardy when a correctional system insists on prying into the substantive contents of legal mail.

In this Article, we explain the vital …

Torts: Missing The Forest For The Factors—Frederick V. Wallerich, 907 N.W.2d 167 (Minn. 2018), Michelle Gibbons

Mitchell Hamline Law Review

No abstract provided.

Legal Analytics, Social Science, And Legal Fees: Reimagining "Legal Spend" Decisions In An Evolving Industry, Nancy B. Rapoport, Joseph R. Tiano Jr.

Scholarly Works

This article discusses how legal analytics can help law firms and clients understand, monitor, and improve the components that comprise bills for legal fees and expenses.

Leveraging Legal Analytics And Spend Data As A Law Firm Self-Governance Tool, Nancy B. Rapoport, Joseph R. Tiano Jr.

Scholarly Works

This paper discusses the advantages that law firms can get by using legal analytics (big data) to analyze how they do their work for their clients (and how their clients can benefit as well). We discuss the external forces that are reshaping the economics of today’s legal industry; the types of decisions, in determining how best to represent a client in a given matter, that tend to drive up costs; the possible reasons for those decisions; how law firms can use data-analytics tools to examine their own choices; and the benefits that stem from a data-driven analysis of those choices.

Code Of Silence, Melissa Mortazavi

Faculty Articles

To read the literature on professional responsibility is to inhabit a world focused on what is said explicitly about what it means to be a lawyer: the aspirations of the canons, the commands of the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, the clarifications of court and ethics opinions, and the guidance of the Restatement. However, it often neglects what is not said: spaces where silence reigns. This article takes a different approach; it listens to the taciturn. This article draws insight from when the bar chooses to be silent in the face of widely known violations of the law of lawyering. …

Licensing Paralegals To Practice Law: A Path Toward Bridging The Justice Gap In Minnesota, Conner Suddick

Departmental Honors Projects

There are few legal avenues for low-income and other marginalized groups in the United States to seek civil justice. A lack of legal assistance in civil issues can be detrimental to a person’s health and wellbeing. Given this reality, the legal profession must broaden its capacity to serve these needs, and one path is to embrace the aid of paralegals. In 2016, the legal community of Minnesota had conversations about whether the state should provide limited licenses to paralegals. To study models from across the country, the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA) formed the Alternative Legal Models Task Force. In …

The Promise And Limitations Of Artificial Intelligence In The Practice Of Law, W. Bradley Wendel

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Online Legal Document Providers And The Public Interest: Using A Certification Approach To Balance Access To Justice And Public Protection, Susan Saab Fortney

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Minding The Gaps In Lawyers’ Rules Of Professional Conduct, Anita Bernstein

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Future Is ̶B̶R̶I̶G̶H̶T̶ Complicated: Ai, Apps & Access To Justice, Emily S. Taylor Poppe

Oklahoma Law Review

No abstract provided.

Technology In Legal Practice: Keeping Ethical Obligations In Mind, Teresa J. Verges, Christine Lazaro

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

The use of technology in the legal profession is ubiquitous, expanding, and ever changing. Lawyers connect with their clients, co-workers, and others through email. Cloud computing has allowed lawyers to create virtual and mobile workspaces, providing them with accessibility to client files and resources anywhere in the world. Social media allows lawyers to showcase their expertise and build their practice. Technology has undoubtedly impacted how lawyers provide legal services to their clients. However, as lawyers, we remain subject to long-standing professional and ethical obligations that govern our practice. This article explores how commonly used technology in legal practice implicates …

Cooperative Design Lawyering: How Can Lawyers Prevent Disputes Through Value Innovation?, Jean-François Roberge, Véronique Fraser

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This article puts forth processes for preventing disputes based on value innovation, an approach referred to as Cooperative Design Lawyering ("CDL"). It suggests that law firms could take a competitive edge by offering Cooperative Design Lawyering services. It explores how legal designers can redefine the value and predictability of a relationship between parties by creating positive-sum interdependence, managing risk allocation and preventing the escalation of eventual disputes. It argues that CDL has the potential to act as a "blue ocean" strategy by targeting unmet needs and delivering value innovation to reach untapped markets. CDL relationship-oriented services capture value and improve …

Ties That Do Not Bind: The Rules That Keep Lawyers And Accountants Separate, Lawrence A. Wesco

Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy

No abstract provided.