Law Commons^™

Fear, Legal Indeterminacy, And The American Lawyering Culture, Michael Hatfield

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On August 1, 2002, then Assistant Attorney General Jay S. Bybee signed for President Bush a memorandum of law concluding that some torture was not necessarily illegal if the President ordered it. This Essay examines how Bybee could arrive at a conclusion that is fundamentally at odds with both our national moral spirit and our law. In doing so, it cautions American lawyers to recognize the difference between what is "legal" and what is "arguably legal, " and to be aware of their own extra-legal biases when interpreting the law.

Legal Doubletalk And The Concern With Positional Conflicts: A "Foolish Consistency"?, Helen A. Anderson

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This article argues that a legal positional conflict is not a true conflict of interest, and should not be the subject of an ethical prohibition. Because of the incentives it creates, a rule against positional conflicts gives greater control to wealthy clients over the availability of legal services without significantly protecting the rights of the poor or middle income clients. Business conflicts already exert significant pressure on lawyers; too much concern with potential positional conflicts only increases that pressure.

This article also argues that eliminating an ethical prohibition against potential conflicts could mitigate much of the credibility concerns raised by …

The Fall Of Legal Ethics And The Rise Of Risk Management, Anthony V. Alfieri

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No abstract provided.