Ethics & Professional Responsibility

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Bottom line: An attorney should never waste an opportunity to publicly tell a client’s side of the story—even when a reporter calls them seeking comment mere minutes before the reporter’s deadline. What to do when a reporter calls you for comment at 5:00 pm regarding a new complaint or other court document that was just filed against your client but that you haven’t even had a chance to review?  It is not uncommon for a…
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Yesterday, the Chicago Bar Association (CBA) and the Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) launched a joint task force to respond to the market failure in consumer legal services. In addition to addressing the gap in access to legal services, the CBA/CBF Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law and Innovation will address how lawyers are hampered and suffering under the current regime. As CBF Executive Director Bob Glaves said at the kick off, “this new…
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A. When you departYou must act ethicallyTo get off to a great startOnce you really do break free. If you are ready,Just listen to meAbout the proper waysTo leave your law firm. Your career is important. But your clients still come first. Thoughtful planning is essential in meeting your professional responsibilities. While abrupt departures are a last resort, you must still be prepared to leave immediately if your boss feels otherwise. Before announcing your departure, you…
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In September, Michigan adopted an ethical duty of technology competency for lawyers. This makes Michigan the 37th state to adopt the standard since the American Bar Association amended Comment 8 to Rule 1.1. in its Model Rules of Professional Conduct in 2012. The Michigan amendment will take effect on January 1, 2020. The Michigan Supreme Court’s order amends the comments to Rule 1.1 of the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct. The new rule is…
  Sari Montgomery was pleased to participate in a panel discussion, “Liar, Liar: Managing Truth and Lies in Law Firms,” at Holland & Knight’s General Counsel Summit on September 27. Also on the panel were CNA’s Tracy Kepler, Holland & Knight’s Colin Smith, and certified forensic analyst Andy Jacobs. The summit, and Sari’s panel, provided practical insights into risk management at firms employing up to 250 lawyers. Sari also recently moderated a presentation to the…
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Designing a CLE can be a lonely process, but it doesn’t have to be. Ideally, it shouldn’t be. I was recently singing my own praises about a learning solution I developed at work. My friend listened, paused and then asked a seemingly innocuous question: “You wrote all the content?” “Yep. Well, not all of it. Some of it. A bit. There were some other people who contributed… Anyway, see the game this weekend?” I asked,…