Professional Responsibility: The Law Firm

This course, which is offered for Professional Responsibility credit, will begin with a review of the rules of professional conduct. It will then turn to an examination of the state of the legal profession, focusing on the organizations which deliver legal services: Large corporate firms; small specialized firms; small general practice firms; corporate house counsel; government employment; prosecutor's offices; Legal Services and Public Defender offices. The centerpiece of the course is in-class interviews with lawyers from different types.

Questions to be considered include (with not all relevant to every organization): The economics of law practice, including the bases for billing, compensation structures, and associates' salaries; firm governance, including decisions on compensation and other fundamental matters, the relationship between partners and associates, and the partnership agreement; the lives of associates, including hours worked, evaluation, expectations concerning new business, and prospects for partnership; the legal work that is done, including its nature and the division of labor between partners and associates; the diversity of the organization; personal/professional balance, including accommodation for family responsibilities; the professional and ethical attitudes of the organization, including lawyer-client relations, pro bono work, and marketing.