Law Commons^™

When The Price Of Settlement Is Ethically Prohibitive: Non-Disparagement Clauses That Apply To Lawyers, Elayne E. Greenberg

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

At last! You have lived with this case for many years, and you are now on the verge of finalizing the terms of a settlement agreement. All the contentious issues have finally been resolved, so you thought, when the defendant leans over the table and says, “Just one more thing. We want you and your client to sign a non-disparagement clause as part of the settlement.” Yes, non-disparagement clauses have been frequently used as a controversial reputational shield in high-conflict divorces, sensitive employee terminations and contentious consumer actions. However, barely discussed is whether lawyers are ethically able to suggest …

The Cheater’S “High”— Harmonize Ethics, Research And Negation Behavior, Elayne E. Greenberg

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

In the context of negotiations, how does “cheater’s high” influence our ethical behavior, decision-making and negotiation strategy? “Cheater’s high” is the term coined by behavioral ethics researchers to describe the positive feeling we experience when we cheat. Rather than feel guilty for these ethical transgressions as was previously believed, those who cheat actually experience a positive effect that further incentivizes the unethical behavior to continue. Even though some who are perched on their ivory tower may feel immune from “cheater’s high,” social scientists remind us that at times we all cheat to varying degrees. This cheating reality is problematic …

Has Expungement Broken Brokercheck?, Christine Lazaro

Faculty Publications

Stockbrokers are subject to one of the most comprehensive public disclosure regimes. They must disclose substantial information about their backgrounds, their employment history, and their disciplinary history. FINRA, the self-regulatory organization that regulates the brokerage industry, also requires that brokers disclose customer complaints and makes much of this information available to the public through an online database called BrokerCheck. The allegations of wrongdoing remain on the broker’s record permanently, unless the broker succeeds at having customer dispute information expunged. The broker is able to accomplish this by requesting that the arbitration panel that hears the customer dispute grant expungement, and …