Ethics for California Civil Litigators in Appellate Practice (Audio Only)

In zealously advocating for clients, lawyers may sometimes lose their way and stray from the path of professionalism. This course, taught by California appellate lawyer Benjamin G. Shatz, intends to refocus consciousness on ethical practices, especially with regard to appellate practice and legal writing generally.

Handling appeals and legal writing are primarily solitary activities and it is when we are alone that we are most tempted to cross moral boundaries. Litigating ethically and following best practices go hand-in-hand. In addition to focusing on basics you already know (but probably haven't thought deeply about in a while), this class discusses more cutting edge issues, such as plagiarizing from law review articles or other lawyers' briefs.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Understand ethics in legal writing, including how to present facts without stretching them; address bad facts; make strong arguments and recognize frivolous arguments, and strike the right tone
2. Review how to ethically cite legal authority
3. Discuss ethical practice in the courtroom, such as answering questions directly or how to respond when you don't know the answer to a question
4. Explore cutting edge ethics issues, such as plagiarism and developments in attorney sanctions