Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Commons^™

Furthering Justice By Improving The Adversary System And Making Lawyers More Accountable, Roger C. Cramton

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Expanding State Jurisdiction To Regulate Out-Of-State Lawyers, Charles W. Wolfram

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Are Agreements To Keep Secret Information In Discovery Legal, Illegal Or Something In Between?, Susan P. Koniak

Faculty Scholarship

For at least eight years before the public and government authorities learned of the apparently dangerous combination of Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles ("SUVs") and their Bridgestone/Firestone brand of tires, Firestone had been settling lawsuits involving injuries and deaths caused by their tires failing on Ford SUVs. These settlements included terms requiring the plaintiffs and their lawyers to keep quiet about the settlements and about information learned through discovery, including information that might have alerted the public or the government to just how unsafe the Explorer/Firestone combination actually was. In some cases, these secrecy provisions were reinforced by court protective …

Fortifying A Law Firm's Ethical Infrastructure: Avoiding Legal Malpractice Claims Based On Conflicts Of Interest, Susan Saab Fortney, Jett Hanna

Faculty Scholarship

This article addresses the prevailing problem of malpractice claims based on conflicts of interest. Part I of this article introduces the topic by underscoring the seriousness of all conflicts of interest and recommending preventative action. Part II describes measures that law firms can take to detect and manage conflicts and analyzes the effect of the firm’s ability to avoid conflicts claims on a firm’s ethical infrastructure. Part III focuses on some of the most common conflicts situations that result in malpractice claims and sanctions. The discussion includes selected conflicts cases that illustrate problems and patterns. Part IV concludes by urging …

The Pursuit Of Justice: New Directions In Scholarship About The Practice Of Law, Alex J. Hurder

Journal of Legal Education

No abstract provided.

Forming An Agenda - Ethics And Legal Ethics, Robert E. Rodes

Journal Articles

The law profession is unique in the scope of the mandate it gives those within it to intervene in other people's affairs. As a result of this unique power of intervention, lawyers encounter a number of unique problems. This paper elucidates upon, and applies, the moral standards and intuitions to be used in approaching these problems. It argues that we should form our consciences in dialogue with our clients and that once they are formed we must follow them and limit our representation accordingly. If lawyer and client cannot agree on an agenda with which both are comfortable, the lawyer …

Some Ethical Reflections On Cyberstalking, Frances Grodzinsky, Herman T. Tavani

School of Computer Science & Engineering Faculty Publications

The present study examines a range of moral issues associated with recent cyberstalking cases. Particular attention is centered on the Amy Boyer/ Liam Youens case of cyberstalking, which raises a host of considerations that we believe have a significant impact for ethical behavior on the Internet. Among the questions we consider are those having to do with personal privacy and the use of certain kinds of Internet search facilities to stalk individuals in cyberspace. Also considered are questions having to do with legal liability and (possible) moral responsibility that Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have for stalking crimes that occur in …

The Role Of The Corporation In Fostering Sustainable Peace, Timothy L. Fort, Cindy A. Schipani

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article demonstrates that there is a plausible, conceptual relationship among corporate governance, business ethics, and sustainable peace. First, the Authors begin by outlining the benefits of and protests against globalization and the reciprocal benefits between geopolitical entities and economic activity. The Article then details specific historical events that foreshadow patterns in the relationship between business and sustainable peace. In looking more closely at those patterns, the Authors argue that through economic progress and mitigation of rivalries in the workplace, multinational corporations can contribute to sustainable peace. Thus, if this argument is correct, the stakes increase dramatically for corporations to …

Sectarian Reflections On Lawyers' Ethics And Death-Row Volunteers, Richard W. Garnett

Journal Articles

What should lawyers think about and respond to death-row volunteers? When a defendant accused of a capital crime attempts to plead guilty, or instructs his lawyer not to present a particular defense; when a convicted killer refuses to permit the introduction of potentially life-saving mitigating evidence - or even urges the jury to impose a death sentence - at the sentencing phase of a death-eligible case; when a condemned inmate refuses to file, or to appeal the denial of, habeas corpus and other post-conviction petitions for relief; when he elects not to object to a particular capital-punishment method, to call …

Fiduciary Duty: A New Ethical Paradigm For Lawyer/Fiduciaries, Paula A. Monopoli

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

The Social Responsibility Of Corporate Law Professors, Lyman P.Q. Johnson

Scholarly Articles

Most statements of corporate social responsibility focus on the responsibilities of corporate decision makers or their advisors Professor Johnson argues that corporate law professors-the persons who educate the students who will become lawyers counseling corporate decision makers-also have a social responsibility. He believes that professors should find various ways to raise the subject of corporate social responsibility in the basic corporations course, and he advocates rejecting a classroom approach that addresses only shareholder-manager relations After describing several possible ways to do this, Professor Johnson spotlights fiduciary laws as a fruitful area to enrich student understandings of director duties in a …

Between Law And Virtue, Joseph P. Tomain, Barbara Watts

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

Legal ethics, professional responsibility, and professionalism are timely topics as lawyers continually reevaluate the standards of their profession, particularly in light of the challenges of multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional practice, as well as the embarrassment facing lawyers involved in and surrounding the Enron collapse. In this article, our goal is to discuss how to think and talk about ethics and professionalism. By way of preview, we need to understand that ethics and professionalism use different vocabularies and, consequently, talk past each other to some extent. Our hope is that understanding the existence of these two vocabularies helps reduce the misunderstanding. Both …

Academic Freedom In Times Of Turmoil, Petr Kolar

Center for the Study of Ethics in Society Papers

Papers presented for the Center of the Study of Ethics in Society Western Michigan University November 5, 2001.

Catholic Social Teaching And American Legal Perspective, Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J.

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Essay examines possible applications of Catholic social teachings to the practice and teaching of law. The author lists five major topics within Catholic social teaching: human dignity, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, and care of the environment. He then lists ways in which these ideals may be realized through the practice of law, including education, litigation, counseling, judging, and legislation.

Charles Dickens' Bleak House: Mr. Tulkinghorn As A Successful Literary Lawyer, Maureen E. Markey

St. Thomas Law Review

After a short summary of the story of Bleak House, this Article analyzes the character of Mr. Tulkinghorn as a "successful literary lawyer" according to the criteria described by Richard Weisberg in his book Poethics. This Article concludes that, although Mr. Tulkinghom may be considered "successful" in one sense of the word-he is powerful, he achieves his goals, he makes money-he is an abject failure from an ethical, moral, humanistic, or any other perspective. Mr. Tulkinghorn's behavior simply cannot and should not be justified under ethical norms. This Article challenges attempts by lawyers to do so, as providing ammunition for …

Catholic Social Teaching And American Legal Practice: A Practical Response, Jennifer M. Mone

Fordham Urban Law Journal

The author responds to Avery Cardinal Dulles's essay and lecture "Catholic Social Teaching and American Legal Practice," Fordham Urb. L.J., 277 (2002) (available at http://new.fordhamj.org/demonstration/dc/v30/27_30FordhamUrbLJ277(2002-2003).pdf). She provides a practical perspective on the applications of Catholic social teachings to the practice of law. She concludes that Catholic teachings and law intersect in two areas: in the lawyer's discretion and in the lawyer's professional interactions with others.

The Physician As Conscientious Objector, J. David Bleich

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article examines the right of doctors to object, because of conflicts with the doctor's own morals, to treatment requested or refused by patients. Focusing mainly on end-of-life care, the author compares court opinions allowing or prohibiting doctors to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining treatment at the request of patients or their surrogates.

Undated (2002), Cso Gaps Analysis, V2, Ifc

IFC E&S Performance Standards

No abstract provided.

The Adversary System As A Means Of Seeking Truth And Justice, 35 J. Marshall L. Rev. 147 (2002), Robert G. Johnston, Sara Lufrano

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Legal Services Provision Through Non- Profit Multidisciplinary Practice – Encouraging Holistic Advocacy, While Protecting Ethical Interests, Stacy Brustin

Scholarly Articles

This Article examines the current debate on multidisciplinary practice (MDP) in the context of legal services provision in a non-profit setting and suggests ways for advocates and non-profit organizations to reap the benefits of MDP while avoiding the potential ethical pitfalls of such arrangements. Part I of the Article outlines the benefits of using a multidisciplinary model to address the legal needs of clients who are traditionally marginalized from the United States legal system. Part II explores the ethical debate surrounding multidisciplinary practice and analyzes whether the current rules of professional conduct prohibiting multidisciplinary practice apply to nonprofit organizations. Part …

The Slippery Slope From Ambition To Greed To Dishonesty: Lawyers, Money And Professional Integrity, Lisa G. Lerman

Scholarly Articles

No abstract provided.

Statement Before The United States House Of Representatives Concerning Charitable Choice And The Community Solutions Act , Carl H. Esbeck

Faculty Publications

First, charitable choice imposes on both government and participating faith-based organizations (FBOs) the duty to not abridge certain enumerated rights of the ultimate beneficiaries of these welfare programs. Second, the statute imposes on government the duty to not intrude into the institutional autonomy of faith-based providers. Third, the statute reinforces the government's duty to not discriminate with respect to religion when determining the eligibility of private-sector providers to deliver social services.

Using Dispute System Design Methods To Promote Good-Faith Participation In Court-Connected Mediation Programs, John M. Lande

Faculty Publications

This article discusses what can be done to promote productive behavior in mediation and reduce bad conduct. Although most participants do not abuse the mediation process, some people use mediation to drag out litigation, gain leverage for later negotiations, and generally wear down the opposition. Rules requiring good-faith participation are likely to be ineffective and possibly counterproductive. This article proposes using dispute system design principles to develop policies satisfying the interests of stakeholders in court-connected mediation programs. After outlining important interests of key stakeholder groups, including litigants, attorneys, courts, and mediators, the Article describes specific policies that could satisfy their …

Religious Contributions To The Bioethics Debate: Utilizing Legal Rights While Avoiding Scientific Temptations, Steven Goldberg

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article explores the authors views on the place of religious debate concerning scientific issues. It outlines the author's concerns with religion becoming overshadowed by science, even within relgious communities, and his ideas on how religion may be brought to the forefront.

Toward Epistemic Justice: A Response To Professor Goldberg, Dominic J. Balestra

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article is a response to Steven Goldberg's article and lecture "Religious Contributions to the Bioethics Debate: Utilizing Legal Rights while Avoiding Scientific Temptations," 30 Fordham Urb. L.J., 35 (2002) (available at http://new.fordhamj.org/demonstration/dc/v30/13_30FordhamUrbLJ35(2002-2003).pdf). The author argues that the question is not the place of values in a world of fact, but the place of facts in a world of values.

The Goodness-Of-Fit Ethic For Informed Consent, Celia B. Fisher

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Essay argues that informed consent policies for adults with mental disorders need to reflect a relational approach that re-conceptualizes consent vulnerability in terms of a "goodness-of-fit" between patient characteristics and the consent context. The author explains the concept of consent vulnerability and how it applies to individuals with mental disorders and may itself impair their ability to make informed decisions. She then examines four psycho-legal standards of informed consent and how to enhance their usefulness and accuracy. Finally, she provides three hypothetical situations and applies the "goodness-of-fit" model to them to illustrate the function of the concept.

Protestant Perspectives On Informed Consent (Particularly In Research Involving Human Participants), James F. Childress

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Article examines Protestant positions on informed consent/refusal regarding the use of human subjects in research. Primarily focusing on the work of Paul Ramsey, a Protestant scholar in science and ethics, the article describes the relationship between the God-man covenant and man-to-man covenants and the consequences thereof. Exploring the line between what Ramsey calls "charity" and "justice," the article finds differences between therapeutic and nontherapeutic research and who may participate with or without consent.

Informed Consent Without Autonomy, Daniel P. Sulmasy

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Essay explains why and how the Roman Catholic basis for informed consent is different from the secular basis. It argues that the Catholic basis, which is rooted in "natural law," is the better model for society to adopt. The author explains that the secular view is rooted in the belief that patient autonomy must never be violated but the Catholic view is based on human dignity, which simply requires doctors to allow patients to exercise their free will within moral limits. This view allows doctors to override patients' decisions if those decisions are morally wrong or irrational.

The Physician's Conscience, Conscience Clauses, And Religious Belief: A Catholic Perspective, Edmund D. Pellegrino

Fordham Urban Law Journal

This Essay explores how physicians may handle conflicts of conscience facing Roman Catholic health practitioners regarding "human life" issues, especially through conscience clauses. In five parts, the author examines "first, why conscientious objection is so important in our day; second, the moral grounding for freedom in the exercise of conscience; third, the components of the physician's conscience; fourth, specific conflicts of conscience for Catholic physicians and institutions; and fifth, competing models of conflict resolution."

Silence Is Golden: The New Illinois Rules On Attorney Extrajudicial Speech, 33 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 323 (2002), Alberto Bernabe

UIC Law Open Access Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.