Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 6 of 6
Full-Text Articles in Law
Theorizing Agency, Susan Carle
Theorizing Agency, Susan Carle
American University Law Review
Progressive legal scholars today exhibit contrasting views on the scope of legal actors' agency in making "choices" about how to lead their lives. Feminist legal scholar Joan C. Williams, for example, challenges claims that women who leave the paid workforce to stay home with children have made a voluntary choice to take this path. Critical race scholar Ian Haney López, on the other hand, argues that the social construction of racial identity occurs precisely through the many voluntary choices members of both subordinated and dominant racial groups make about matters that implicate racial meanings. Williams contests the idea of voluntary …
Even Judges Don't Know Everything: A Call For A Presumption Of Admissibility For Expert Witness Testimony In Lawyer Disciplinary Proceedings The Fourth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Timothy P. Chinaris
St. Mary's Law Journal
Today's practice environment is full of potential ethical pitfalls for even the most conscientious lawyer. The consequences of being found guilty of misconduct can include suspension or disbarment from practicing as a lawyer. Added to these concerns is the fact that the judge or hearing panel before whom the case is tried may not be intimately familiar with the particular ethics rules or how they are interpreted in different areas of practice. In order to mount an effective defense against the disciplinary charges, an accused lawyer may want to introduce expert testimony on his or her behalf. Unfortunately for the …
The Nirvana Fallacy In Law Firm Regulation Debate, Elizabeth Chambliss
The Nirvana Fallacy In Law Firm Regulation Debate, Elizabeth Chambliss
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Article addresses self-regulation in the legal industry. Lawyers have traditionally resisted the benefits of bureaucratic management. This Article highlights that many lawyers fear that centralized management controls with regard to regulation will undermine individual accountability. This article does not agree with that sentiment. This article uses data to suggest that centralized management, i.e. specialists in charge, may significantly improve individual accountability and compliance with professional rules. This article really reviews what it feels like are misconstrued assumptions about regulation at law firms. This Article argues that the nostalgia for an idealized collegial form has prevented legal scholars and regulators …
The Professionalization Of Ethics, Margaret Raymond
The Professionalization Of Ethics, Margaret Raymond
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Article looks at the importance of teaching law graduates to be ethical lawyers. The author hypothesizes that the current versions of the ethical rules and the structure of law firms have the potential to encourage the professionalization of ethics rather than connecting all practitioners to the values of professional responsibility. This Article sets out the factors that contribute to the increased professionalization of professional responsibility in large law firms. These factors are the need for lawyers to always be accessible, the pressure to specialize in a specific field, and the complexity of the ethics rules as written. The author …
Marilyn & Ed Bellet: A Dedication, William Michael Treanor
Marilyn & Ed Bellet: A Dedication, William Michael Treanor
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Essay was a dedication to Ed and Marilyn Bellet, benefactors of Fordham Law’s ethics and professionalism programs. The Bellets created the Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics, which educates both the public and lawyers about the importance of the rule of law. The author examines the life of the Bellets and their commitment to Fordham Law.
Profits And Professionalism, Deborah Rhode
Profits And Professionalism, Deborah Rhode
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Article looks at the financial effect of ethics work. The author examines to what effect and under what circumstances “ethics pays,” and what can be done to increase the rate of return. The article studies this issue in three different contexts. First, it looks at workplace cultures and professional values. The author tries to find how the legal professional can create more organizational structures in which adhering to principles serves prudential interests. The second context is pro bono work. Here, the author looks at the pro bono benefits to, the lawyer, and legal employer, as well as the costs …