Via memos, speeches, and committee meetings, this volume introduces the mythically inept firm of Fairweather, Winters & Sommers through the eyes of the firm's non-lawyers--secretaries, paralegals, the computer geek--all of whom know better than anyone else how ridiculous lawyers can be.

How do lawyers resolve ethical dilemmas in the everyday context of their practice? What are the issues that commonly arise, and how do lawyers determine the best ways to resolve them? Until recently, efforts to answer these questions have focused primarily on rules and legal doctrine rather than the real-life situations lawyers face in legal practice. The first book to present empirical research on ethical decision making in a variety of practice contexts, including corporate litigation, securities, immigration, and divorce law, Lawyers in Practice fills a substantial gap in the existing literature. Following an introduction emphasizing the increasing importance of understanding context in the legal profession, contributions focus on ethical dilemmas ranging from relatively narrow ethical issues to broader problems of professionalism, including the prosecutor’s obligation to disclose evidence, the management of conflicts of interest, and loyalty to clients and the court. Each chapter details the resolution of a dilemma from the practitioner’s point of view that is, in turn, set within a particular community of practice. Timely and practical, this book should be required reading for law students as well as students and scholars of law and society.

"[The author] shares his insights, anecdotes, strategies, and practical tips learned from his 20+ years of experience as in-house counsel, general counsel, corporate secretary, and chief compliance officer. As author of the popular blog, 'Ten things you need to know as in-house counsel, ' Miller provides quick points that you can use in your everyday practice ... Whether you are new to an in-house department or a long-term veteran, the general counsel or just a basic contract lawyer, Ten Things You Need to Know as In-House Counsel provides you with guidance on: how to be a successful in-house counsel; being more productive every day; drafting documents and emails; how to negotiate; effectively managing outside counsel fees; trade secrets and protecting your company; dealing with the Board of Directors; preparing for when bad things happen; analyzing risk; and much more."--

"Educational needs of practicing lawyers are explored with a practical guide provided. Details the legal ecosystem and how its complex, varied and often overlapping parts can and should be handled by practicing attorneys, alternative legal service providers and "non-legal" professionals"--

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.

The legal rights of Americans are threatened as never before. In No Contest, Ralph Nader and Wesley J. Smith reveal how power lawyers--Kenneth Starr perhaps the most notorious among them--misuse and manipulate the law at the expense of fairness and equity. Nader and Smith document how corporate lawyers File baseless lawsuits Use court secrecy to their unfair advantage Engage in billing fraud Nader and Smith sound the warning that this system-wide abuse is eroding our basic legal rights, and propose a positive, commonsense vision of what should be done to reverse the corporate-inspired corruption of civil justice. Timely, incisive, and highly readable, this is a book for all citizens who believe that prompt access to justice is the backbone of democracy, and a precious right to be reclaimed.

With humor in the tradition of Robert Benchley and S. J. Perelman, this book reveals the absurdities of life in a law firm. Through memos, speeches, and committee meetings, the mythically inept firm of Fairweather, Winters & Sommers is described. In "Advanced Law Firm Mismanagement," the firm's founder, Stanley Fairweather, recalls the good--and not-so-good--old days and looks ahead with a bit of trepidation at where the profession is going. In "The Ins & Outs of Law Firm Mismanagement," lawyers are seen through the eyes of the firm's non-lawyers--secretaries, paralegals, the computer tech--who know better than anyone else how ridiculous lawyers can be. In "Was That a Tax Lawyer Who Just Flew Over?" the lawyers are described from the perspectives of their clients and other outsiders.