Correction, Teacher’s Manual, Chapter 2 (revised)

1.  P. 21 of the Teacher’s Manual.  The correct answer to Question 10 should be B.  The analysis on that page is correct.  The change in correct answer has already been made in the on-line quizzes in the Faculty Program section of TWEN and accordingly TWEN will grade the quiz correctly.

2.  P. 22.  The the correct answer to Question 13 is B.  The analysis is correct.  The change in correct answers has already been made in the on-line quizzes in the Faculty Program section of TWEN and accordingly TWEN will grade the quiz correctly.

3.  PP. 28-29.  Question 1 is a more complicated situation.  The correct answer D accords with the Rules that the casebook provides the students.  Rule 1.16 (a) mandates withdrawal and Rule 1.6 prohibits disclosure of confidences.  The casebook, however, does not include Rule 1.3, Comment 5, which provides that:

To prevent neglect of client matters in the event of a sole practitioner’s death or disability, the duty of diligence may require that each sole practitioner prepare a plan, in conformity with applicable rules, that designates another competent lawyer to review client files, notify each client of the lawyer’s death or disability, and determine whether there is a need for immediate protective action.

This language suggests that C is the correct answer.  You now have a choice of how to deal with Question 1.  You can leave the question as is and introduce Rule 1.3, Comment 5 in class.  Or you can assign Rule 1.3, Comment 5 before the students take the quiz and in TWEN change the correct answer to C.

Brilliant Rap Video Overview of Legal Ethics

By Russ Pearce

The People of Channel 38, a group of American University law grads, have created a top quality rap video which presents an overview of legal ethics.

It’s so brilliant that I would love to use it in class but I worry that some students may be offended.  Instead, I am assigning as optional viewing.

What do you think?  Please let us know.

Supreme Court Cases on the Legal Profession

By Russell Pearce

I would like to introduce Supreme Court Boxes — a new feature that we plan to incorporate in the second edition.  When a Supreme Court decision is integral to understanding a concept, we of course include excerpts in the book.  But among the Supreme Court’s large number of recent cases on the legal profession there are many other decisions that might be fun for the students to explore.  Accordingly, one of our new contributors, Prof. Renee Newman Knake, has created a feature called Supreme Court boxes, where for each chapter she will provide two very brief descriptions of recent Supreme Court decisions that faculty and students might find of interest, together with relevant links.   I attach her draft Supreme Court boxes for every chapter in the book.  Many thanks Renee!

NEW CONTENT SCOTUS Notes

Welcome to the Contemporary Approach to Professional Responsibility Blog

unnamed.jpg

Welcome! We would like you to join our community as we promote study of, and debate regarding, the professional responsibility of lawyers.  Although our blog will serve as a resource for users of Professional Responsibility:  A Contemporary Approach (3d 2017), the current developments, innovative teaching materials, and commentary should be thought-provoking and fun for all those interested in the legal profession.  Please feel free to share your ideas, and we will post as much as we can.

Tweeting Professional Responsibility

by Renee Newman Knake

I kicked off the semester trying something new in my Professional Responsibility class today – a live Tweet wall.  You can see how it went by searching for #knakePR

Here some are the reasons why I decided to add this as a component of my course:

1. Twitter is an example of the technology awareness now required of lawyers in the latest revisions to the comments of ABA Model Rule 1.1 Competence.

2. It is important for law students to understand that their professional identity begins now, particularly when they are using social media.

3.  Live Tweeting provides an alternative method of in-class participation.

4.  At least according to the Brits, Twitter is one of the leading ways to develop a client base.  See Twitter becoming key referral source for solicitors, says research from the Legal Futures Blog, June 14, 2012

I’ll let you know how it goes with an update post later in the semester.  In the meantime, feel free to follow me on Twitter @reneeknake

(Cross-posted at the Legal Ethics Forum)