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The Seven Deadly (Ethical) Sins

By Jeffrey P. Ayres, Esquire
March 01, 2004

Law schools teach students the principles of legal ethics. Bar examiners test prospective attorneys on the rules of professional responsibility. But new associates, especially at big firms, typically are clueless when it comes to the practical implications of ethics rules upon their day-to-day lives.

It is incumbent upon law firms to teach new associates about these practical implications. In the first place, law firms owe it to recent hires to teach them to act ethically and responsibly in their professional dealings ' just like firms try to teach new lawyers to become proficient writers and researchers. Moreover, a firm that fails to indoctrinate new lawyers on ethics issues risks serious harm to reputation, loss of business, and lawsuits arising from conflicts of interest and other ethical improprieties.

In addition to thoroughly indoctrinating new attorneys regarding ethics issues, a prudent law firm will establish ethics systems and develop a culture that encourages lawyers to take advantage of these systems. When questions arise as to the appropriate course of action to take, attorneys must be comfortable that they can quickly obtain guidance without fear of reprisal. Otherwise, the best indoctrination process in the world will not prevent conflicts and other ethical improprieties from occurring.

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