Legal Profession

Course Catalog Number:
5405
Course Credits:
2
Course Type:
Lecture
Course Priority:
Limited Enrollment - 3rd Year Priority
Graduation Requirements:
Legal Profession
"W" Writing
Full Year Course:
No

Course Description

This course will consider the responsibilities and obligations of an attorney to his or her client, the court and the legal system. Emphasis will be placed on the Rules of Professional Conduct which have been adopted by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as the standard of conduct for all attorneys admitted to practice within the Commonwealth. Classroom meetings will focus on the common ethical problems which attorneys face including the scope of the duty to zealously represent your client; responsibilities owed to the courts and to other parties that may conflict with your client's interests; what decisions are made by the client and what decisions are made by counsel; potential conflicting responsibilities of counsel to his or her insurance company and the insured; potential conflicting responsibilities of corporate counsel to the corporation and the corporate officers; disqualification of counsel; the scope of the attorney-client privilege; confidentiality requirements; fee arrangements; withdrawal from representation; competency requirements; and pretrial and trial conduct.
This course meets the New York professional responsibility requirement. N.Y. Court Rules for Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law Rule 520.3(c)(1)(iii).