Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Law and Society

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type

Articles 721 - 750 of 1990

Full-Text Articles in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility

The Litigation Privilege In Texas., Sam Johnson Jan 2013

The Litigation Privilege In Texas., Sam Johnson

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Certain Texas cases have arisen where one party in litigation sues the attorney representing an opposing party. In response to such cases, Texas courts promulgated a judicial doctrine generally referred to as the litigation privilege or qualified immunity in order to protect litigants’ right to zealous representation from their attorney. The general rule is that one party to a lawsuit cannot sue the other party’s attorney. However, exceptions to this doctrine exist. This article explores the contours of the litigation privilege in Texas by analyzing the primary Texas cases where one party’s claim against the opposing party’s attorney was dismissed …

Go to article

Introduction, Kathryn A. Stephens Jan 2013

Introduction, Kathryn A. Stephens

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Introduction

Go to article

Guilt By Association: How “Standby Co-Counsel” Exposes Attorneys To Malicious Prosecution Liability., Colleen V. Lisowski Jan 2013

Guilt By Association: How “Standby Co-Counsel” Exposes Attorneys To Malicious Prosecution Liability., Colleen V. Lisowski

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Attorneys should not assume that lending their name to a case is a risk-free practice. The California appellate decision, Cole v. Patricia A. Meyer & Associates, answered the question of whether non-participating, standby co-counsel could be held liable for malicious prosecution by merely being listed as counsel of record. Cole established the clear message behind being aware of “co-counsel” risks. According to the court, co-counsel cannot escape liability if they failed to know enough about the case. By rejecting the “passive counsel” defense, Cole held that associated attorneys still have a duty to research the validity of a case even …

Go to article

Evidentiary Standards In The Legal Malpractice Trial-Within-A-Trial., F. Parks Brown Jan 2013

Evidentiary Standards In The Legal Malpractice Trial-Within-A-Trial., F. Parks Brown

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Like malpractice actions in general, the standards of proof required for each element of a legal malpractice claim evolved as legal malpractice claims became increasingly common. State and federal courts consequently produced a diverse range of opinions as jurisdictions continually adjust to evolving standards. The courts often seek to balance these standards of proof against their own precedent and the need to serve their particular notions of equity and justice. Perhaps the most contentious of these evolving standards of proof is the current state of the causation element, which is a critical test that must be satisfied to prevail in …

Go to article

Book Review, Peter H. Huang Jan 2013

Book Review, Peter H. Huang

Publications

This review of Leo Katz's book, Why the Law is So Perverse, addresses three questions. First, does Katz draw the appropriate normative conclusions about legal perversities based on their connections to social choice theory? In other words, what are the legal ethics and professionalism implications of his book? Second, how does each of the legal perversities in the book follow from a particular social choice theory result? In other words, what is the precise theoretical connection between each of the legal perversities discussed and an impossibility theorem in social choice theory? Third, can we reinterpret our understanding of the …

Go to article

The Benefit Corporation: A Questionable Solution To A Non-Existent Problem., Justin Blount, Kwabena Offei-Danso Jan 2013

The Benefit Corporation: A Questionable Solution To A Non-Existent Problem., Justin Blount, Kwabena Offei-Danso

St. Mary's Law Journal

Throughout American history a continuous call for businesses to wield their power and influence in such a way as to not only create economic value for shareholders, but also to create value in an ethical manner that benefits society as a whole has existed. Currently, many businesses respond to this call by integrating social responsibility into their operations. A recent innovation on this front is the development of the “benefit corporation” by the non-profit organization “B Lab.” The benefit corporation is essentially a hybrid entity. It is designed to have characteristics of both non-profit and for-profit entities. The entity also …

Go to article

To A Friend: The Honorable Will Garwood., Emilio M. Garza Jan 2013

To A Friend: The Honorable Will Garwood., Emilio M. Garza

St. Mary's Law Journal

William Lockhart Garwood died on July 14, 2011. In his thirty years on the court, Will would author numerous notable decisions, but his reputation would be solidified by two extraordinary cases: United States v. Lopez, in which, for the first time in recent judicial history, a court of appeals held that a congressional act was invalid as beyond the power of Congress under the Commerce Clause; and United States v. Emerson, in which, a court of appeals first articulated the Second Amendment protects individual Americans’ right to keep and bear arms. Neither case was without controversy. Not surprisingly, the Supreme …

Go to article

Micro-Symposium On Orin Kerr's 'A Theory Of Law', Laura Appleman, Shawn Bayern, Adam D. Chandler, Robert Cheren, Miriam A. Cherry, Ross E. Davies, Lee Anne Fennell, Paul A. Gowder, Caitlin Hartsell, Kieran Healy, Robert A. James, Jeffrey H. Kahn, Orin S. Kerr, Jacob T. Levy, Jeffrey M. Lipshaw, Orly Lobel, Geoffrey A. Manne, Chad M. Oldfather, Ronak Patel, Jeffrey A. Pojanowski, Alexandra J. Roberts, Kent Scheidegger, Arthur Stock, Anders Walker Jan 2013

Micro-Symposium On Orin Kerr's 'A Theory Of Law', Laura Appleman, Shawn Bayern, Adam D. Chandler, Robert Cheren, Miriam A. Cherry, Ross E. Davies, Lee Anne Fennell, Paul A. Gowder, Caitlin Hartsell, Kieran Healy, Robert A. James, Jeffrey H. Kahn, Orin S. Kerr, Jacob T. Levy, Jeffrey M. Lipshaw, Orly Lobel, Geoffrey A. Manne, Chad M. Oldfather, Ronak Patel, Jeffrey A. Pojanowski, Alexandra J. Roberts, Kent Scheidegger, Arthur Stock, Anders Walker

All Faculty Scholarship

For more than a century, careful readers of the Green Bag have known that “[t]here is nothing sacred in a theory of law...which has outlived its usefulness or which was radically wrong from the beginning...The question is What is the law and what is the true public policy?” Professor Orin Kerr bravely, creatively, and eloquently answered that question in his article, “A Theory of Law,” in the Autumn 2012 issue of the Green Bag. Uniquely among all theories of law that I know of, Kerr’s answer to the fundamental question of law and true public policy enables all scholars to …

Go to article

Moving Forward With A Clear Conscience: A Model Conscientious Objection Policy For Canadian Colleges Of Physicians And Surgeons, Jocelyn Downie, Jacquelyn Shaw, Carolyn Mcleod Jan 2013

Moving Forward With A Clear Conscience: A Model Conscientious Objection Policy For Canadian Colleges Of Physicians And Surgeons, Jocelyn Downie, Jacquelyn Shaw, Carolyn Mcleod

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

In 2008, one of us (JD) together with the former Dean of Law at the University of Ottawa (Sanda Rodgers), wrote a guest editorial for the Canadian Medical Association Journal on the topic of access to abortion in Canada. In the editorial, we argued, among other things, that "health care professionals who withhold a diagnosis, fail to provide appropriate referrals, delay access, misdirect women or provide punitive treatment are committing malpractice and risk lawsuits and disciplinary proceedings." In response to a series of letters to the editor written about our editorial, we wrote that, under the CMA Code of Ethics …

Go to article

Getting Paid In Probate Court., Robert J. Augsburger Jan 2013

Getting Paid In Probate Court., Robert J. Augsburger

St. Mary's Law Journal

After reviewing the Texas Probate Code, the Texas Property Code, and current case law, this Essay compiles relevant information designed to assist attorneys in obtaining payment for services provided to their clients. An attorney ad litem is an officer of the court whose “fees are assessed as costs of suit” rather than requiring the ad litem to seek “fees only from his clients’ recovered shares.” Therefore, each attorney ad litem appointed under § 34A of the Texas Probate Code is entitled to reasonable compensation for services in the amount set by the court. The attorney’s fees “must be supported by …

Go to article

The Advent Of State And Local Lobby Regulations And The Legal And Ethical Considerations For Attorneys., Ross Fischer, Jack Gullahorn Jan 2013

The Advent Of State And Local Lobby Regulations And The Legal And Ethical Considerations For Attorneys., Ross Fischer, Jack Gullahorn

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Advocacy is the primary goal and responsibility of two distinct and well-regulated professions: the lawyer and the lobbyist, each of whom is subject to his own set of rules and regulations. This Article is designed to analyze the intersection of the lawyer’s Disciplinary Code with developing, rules governing advocacy in the policy-making arenas throughout Texas. Increasingly, the line between legal and legislative advocacy has become blurred as more local Texas entities turn to state lobby regulations for inspiration. This Article will consider the state Lobby Law, including its history and structure, as a framework for subsequent efforts to regulate lobbying …

Go to article

“A Scout Is Trustworthy”: Applying Virtue Ethics To Lawyer Professionalism., Jeff Brown Jan 2013

“A Scout Is Trustworthy”: Applying Virtue Ethics To Lawyer Professionalism., Jeff Brown

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

This Article advocates the employment of the twelve-point Scout Law of the Boy Scouts of America as a professional ethics guide for lawyers. The Article begins by briefly relating the history of virtue ethics as a philosophical field of study and comparing and contrasting it with rule-based ethics. The Article continues with a brief history of the Scout Law. Finally, the Article explores how each of the twelve points of the Scout Law identifies a virtue relevant to the practice of law and how seeking to adhere to these virtues is crucial for attorneys hoping to lead a life of …

Go to article

Keep Your “Friends” Close And Your Enemies Closer: Walking The Ethical Tightrope In The Use Of Social Media., John G. Browning Jan 2013

Keep Your “Friends” Close And Your Enemies Closer: Walking The Ethical Tightrope In The Use Of Social Media., John G. Browning

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

This Article will examine the ethical issues posed by lawyers’ use of social media platforms in light of the ABA Ethics Commission 20/20 changes to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Social networking has had a transformative effect both on the way society shares information and on the legal profession. Much of the discussion to date focuses on the discovery and use of evidence from social media sites in criminal cases and civil litigation, but attention must also be directed to the ethical quandaries posed by the legal profession’s use of social media. This Article will consider issues such as …

Go to article

Arbitration Clauses In Fee Retainer Agreements., Chrissy L. Schwennsen Jan 2013

Arbitration Clauses In Fee Retainer Agreements., Chrissy L. Schwennsen

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Due to the variety of approaches jurisdictions employ when determining the legal ramifications of arbitration clauses in fee retainer agreements, it’s best to include an explanation of the legal consequences of arbitration in the agreements. The attorney can, and should, fully explain the potential benefits of arbitration to clients. State courts take various viewpoints on the issue, and most stand contrary to the position of the American Bar Association (ABA) and state ethics committees on the subject. Consequently, attorneys must disclose truthful and accurate information regarding arbitration agreements when engaged in multijurisdictional practice in order to ensure protection from malpractice …

Go to article

The Limited Power Of The Bar To Protect Its Monopoly., Zachary C. Zurek Jan 2013

The Limited Power Of The Bar To Protect Its Monopoly., Zachary C. Zurek

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

The weaknesses within unauthorized practice of law (UPL) laws, coupled with shaky and fragmented enforcement, allow nonlawyers to perform activities that are otherwise characterized as the practice of law. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), non-lawyers representing individuals in administrative settings, legal document preparation services, and other non-lawyers offering detailed legal advice pose serious threats to the bar and the individuals they serve. Uniformed standards of liability, ethics, and certification should be developed to ensure a balanced group of practitioners is available to the public. Pulling nonlawyers into the realm of liability for breach of professional responsibility would result in a higher …

Go to article

Can Federal Courts Exercise Jurisdiction Over State Law Malpractice Claims Arising Out Of Patent Law Disputes?, Isaac C. Ta Jan 2013

Can Federal Courts Exercise Jurisdiction Over State Law Malpractice Claims Arising Out Of Patent Law Disputes?, Isaac C. Ta

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Under 28 U.S.C. § 1338, federal courts generally have original jurisdiction over cases arising under federal civil law. Specifically, under 28 U.S.C. § 1338(a), federal courts have jurisdiction over cases brought under federal patent laws. As with any legal proceeding, the potential for legal malpractice as it relates to patent issues (e.g., proper patent filing) is very real. However, unlike patent law proceedings, legal malpractice is governed by state law.' When the two causes of action are intertwined, federal and state courts are presented with the issue of which court possesses proper jurisdiction. Some argue federal courts can properly exercise …

Go to article

How An Obscure Tennessee Opinion Uncovers The Veil Of Legal Malpractice Between Asset-Protection Trusts And The Uniform Trust Code., Charles Epps Ipock Jan 2013

How An Obscure Tennessee Opinion Uncovers The Veil Of Legal Malpractice Between Asset-Protection Trusts And The Uniform Trust Code., Charles Epps Ipock

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

In the year 2000, the Uniform Law Commissioners approved the Uniform Trust Code (UTC). This was the first effort to provide states with an all-inclusive model for codifying their trust laws. Since then, at least twenty-three states adopted some, or most of the UTC. But this enactment did not come without controversy. Most of the controversies stem from provisions regarding asset-protection trusts. The net result of asset-protection trusts within the UTC essentially disposes of discretionary trusts by requiring them to contain spendthrift language. The undesirable effect of these provisions is that without a spendthrift clause any creditor can attach a …

Go to article

Specialty Juvenile Courts In Texas: Using The Rehabilitative Juvenile Justice Approach To Reform Texas's Youngest Gang Members., Drew Darnell Jan 2013

Specialty Juvenile Courts In Texas: Using The Rehabilitative Juvenile Justice Approach To Reform Texas's Youngest Gang Members., Drew Darnell

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Go to article

Civil Liability Approaches To The Stolen Valor Epidemic., Lauren A. Valkenaar Jan 2013

Civil Liability Approaches To The Stolen Valor Epidemic., Lauren A. Valkenaar

St. Mary's Law Journal

Over the years, civilians and members of the military have falsely claimed honors “stealing” the valor, reputation and benefits bestowed upon actual medal recipients. Lawmakers have historically addressed this problem of stolen valor with criminal prosecution. In 2005, Congress passed the Stolen Valor Act, making it illegal for an individual to lie about receiving military awards. However, the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 was challenged in United States v. Alvarez. The Supreme Court of the United States found that the act violated the First Amendment because it was a content-based restriction on speech regarding military service. Therefore, …

Go to article

The Strange Case Of Lieutenant Waddell: How Overly Restrictive Rules Of Engagement Adversely Impact The American War Fighter And Undermine Military Victory., Jeffrey F. Addicott Jan 2013

The Strange Case Of Lieutenant Waddell: How Overly Restrictive Rules Of Engagement Adversely Impact The American War Fighter And Undermine Military Victory., Jeffrey F. Addicott

St. Mary's Law Journal

A rules of engagement (“ROE”) Review Board should be created in order to provide an impartial review process for service members facing adverse administrative action for violations of ROE. Politicians defining the ROE, rather than military experts, create rules that are so restrictive and confusing that they ultimately run counter to the military objective of victory. A violation of a ROE can be a criminal offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but violations are issued arbitrarily, and often the military does not charge the service member with a crime, instead using adverse administrative measures to impose punishment. While …

Go to article

The Executive Right To Lease Mineral Real Property In Texas Before And After Lesley V. Veterans Land Board., Christopher S. Kulander Jan 2013

The Executive Right To Lease Mineral Real Property In Texas Before And After Lesley V. Veterans Land Board., Christopher S. Kulander

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Go to article

Deceiving Law Students: Employment Statistics And Tort Liability., Angie Roberts-Huckaby Jan 2013

Deceiving Law Students: Employment Statistics And Tort Liability., Angie Roberts-Huckaby

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Go to article

To A Professor: Douglas Haddock Retires., Charles Epps Ipock Jan 2013

To A Professor: Douglas Haddock Retires., Charles Epps Ipock

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Go to article

New Oil And Old Laws: Problems In Allocation Of Production To Owners Of Non-Participating Royalty Interests In The Era Of Horizontal Drilling., Benjamin Holliday Jan 2013

New Oil And Old Laws: Problems In Allocation Of Production To Owners Of Non-Participating Royalty Interests In The Era Of Horizontal Drilling., Benjamin Holliday

St. Mary's Law Journal

Oil and gas exploration and production is not only a big business, it is also an expensive one. As with any business, when faced with competing alternatives, operators generally prefer to pursue exploration in areas with more stable and predictable legal environments. Efforts have previously been made to make Texas such an environment, but as technology advances, legal rules often become unclear in their application. The explosion in horizontal drilling activity is challenging the courts and the Texas Railroad Commission to apply and adapt traditional legal and regulatory concepts to horizontal wells. The growing dominance of horizontal well development is …

Go to article

Plugging The School-To-Prison Pipeline By Improving Behavior And Protecting Core Judicial Functions: A Constitutional Crisis Looms., Patrick S. Metze Jan 2013

Plugging The School-To-Prison Pipeline By Improving Behavior And Protecting Core Judicial Functions: A Constitutional Crisis Looms., Patrick S. Metze

St. Mary's Law Journal

The consolidation of the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission (TJPC) into the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) in 2011, produced a unified state juvenile justice agency to promote public safety first and to produce positive outcomes for youth, families, and communities second. As Professor Metze’s second paper discussing ways to effect a change in the School-to-Prison Pipeline, he first highlights the progress of TJJD’s use of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in the Texas juvenile correctional context as continued evidence that such techniques, if effective in the correctional setting, will certainly work in the …

Go to article

Texas Legislative Implications For Minors Accused Of Sexting., Mallory N. Myers Jan 2013

Texas Legislative Implications For Minors Accused Of Sexting., Mallory N. Myers

St. Mary's Law Journal

State legislation criminalizing sexting—the possession or electronic transmission of visual material capturing a minor engaged in sexual conduct—should not punish minors similarly to adults. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (Walsh Act) in conjunction with the Sex Offender Registration & Notification Act (SORNA), require that any individual, including a minor, convicted of child pornography register as a sex offender. As a result, states with legislation that categorize sexting as child pornography, will require a minor with a sexting conviction to register as a sex offender. This disportionate punishment on the minor will make it difficult for …

Go to article

Water Can Be For Drinking Again: Economic And Collaborative Solutions To A Texas Water Fight., Aaron Culp Jan 2013

Water Can Be For Drinking Again: Economic And Collaborative Solutions To A Texas Water Fight., Aaron Culp

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Go to article

The Co-Author Prenup., David A. Schlueter Jan 2013

The Co-Author Prenup., David A. Schlueter

St. Mary's Law Journal

Producing a book or article with co-authors is not an easy task. There are six potential issues one might consider before deciding to co-author a book or article. First, do you really want to be a co-author? Second, how many co-authors are going to be involved in the project? Having more than one co-author can make the departure of a co-author less of an issue, but each co-author needs to have a clearly defined role. Third, what role will each member of the team perform and what are those roles? Fourth, what should the co-author “marriage” look like? Multiple scenarios …

Go to article

Secured Transaction History: Protecting Holmes' Notes Through The Conditional Sales Acts., George Lee Flint Jr. Jan 2013

Secured Transaction History: Protecting Holmes' Notes Through The Conditional Sales Acts., George Lee Flint Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

The historical explanation for the adoption of the conditional sales acts is woefully lacking. How and why the first conditional sales acts arose are investigated. Grant Gilmore, when presenting his theory, confessed ignorance concerning the origins of the conditional sale transaction, first known as Holmes’ notes. The failure of traditional legal historians to explain the passage of the conditional sales acts encourages inquiry into their legislative history to find an explanation. Pre-Act American decisions provide clues regarding the ratification of the acts. The courts provided three explanations for their passage: to treat the conditional sale as a chattel mortgage, to …

Go to article

The South Texas Drought And The Future Of Groundwater Use For Hydraulic Fracturing In The Eagle Ford Shale., Taelor A. Allen Jan 2013

The South Texas Drought And The Future Of Groundwater Use For Hydraulic Fracturing In The Eagle Ford Shale., Taelor A. Allen

St. Mary's Law Journal

Texas has undergone a succession of historic droughts, each one creating unique problems and controversies. The state is also one of the largest national producers of oil and gas with the Eagle Ford Shale fields contributing to the production boom. The technique used to extract the oil is called hydraulic fracturing, which requires large volumes of water to be injected at high pressures to “frac” and release gas from an underground formation. The amount of water required places even greater strain on the regional water supply. This Comment highlights legal issues raised by the high volumes of groundwater used for …

Go to article

First Prev Next Last