Legal Ethics & Professional Responsibility

Model Rules of Professional Conduct in practice. Covers conflicts of interest, confidentiality, competence in the age of technology, fee arrangements, candor to the tribunal, advertising, and disciplinary process with real case studies.

8 Units

20 minutes per unit

Curriculum Map

What You Will Learn

Conflicts of Interest

Current clients, former clients, prospective clients, imputed conflicts, screening, and waiver — the analysis framework courts actually apply.

Technology Competence

Comment 8 to Model Rule 1.1 now requires technology competence. What this means for cybersecurity, e-discovery, and AI tool use.

Disciplinary Process

How grievance procedures work, the most common violations leading to suspension and disbarment, and lessons from real cases.

All Units

20 minutes

Model Rules of Professional Conduct: The Foundation of Legal Ethics

Examines the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct framework, focusing on the five core duties that govern attorney conduct and form the basis for disciplinary enforcement.

•Identify the five foundational duties under the Model Rules: competence, diligence, communication, confidentiality, and conflicts
•Distinguish between mandatory disciplinary rules and aspirational professional values
•Analyze how state-specific variations in Model Rules adoption affect multi-jurisdictional practice

Start learning

20 minutes

Conflicts of Interest: Current, Former, and Prospective Clients

Analyzes the framework for identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest involving current clients, former clients, prospective clients, and imputed conflicts in law firms.

•Apply the direct adversity and material limitation tests to identify concurrent conflicts under Rule 1.7
•Determine when a former client matter is substantially related to a new representation under Rule 1.9
•Evaluate the effectiveness of ethical screens and informed consent waivers in mitigating conflicts

Start learning

20 minutes

Confidentiality and Attorney-Client Privilege: Scope and Exceptions

Examines the scope of attorney-client confidentiality, the narrower evidentiary privilege, permissive and mandatory disclosure exceptions, and protocols for inadvertent disclosure and metadata.

•Distinguish between the ethical duty of confidentiality under Rule 1.6 and the evidentiary attorney-client privilege
•Identify the permissive disclosure exceptions in Rule 1.6(b) and analyze when disclosure is ethically appropriate
•Apply the inadvertent disclosure protocols under Rule 4.4(b) and ABA Formal Opinion 06-442

Start learning

20 minutes

Competence in the Age of Technology: Tech Tools, Cybersecurity, and E-Discovery

Examines the duty of technology competence, including obligations to understand relevant technology, implement cybersecurity safeguards, and competently handle e-discovery in litigation.

•Apply the technology competence requirement under Rule 1.1 Comment 8 and ABA Formal Opinion 477R
•Identify minimum cybersecurity measures required to protect client confidentiality under Rule 1.6
•Evaluate e-discovery competence obligations for attorneys supervising document production and preservation

Start learning

20 minutes

Fee Arrangements and Billing Ethics: Reasonableness, Trust Accounts, and Fee Disputes

Analyzes the ethical requirements for fee agreements, including reasonableness, contingency fee restrictions, fee splitting, and the fiduciary obligations governing client trust accounts.

•Apply the reasonableness factors in Rule 1.5(a) to evaluate the propriety of fee arrangements
•Distinguish between permissible and impermissible contingency fee arrangements under Rule 1.5(c) and (d)
•Identify trust account obligations under Rule 1.15 and common violations that trigger disciplinary action

Start learning

20 minutes

Candor to the Tribunal and Litigation Conduct: Duties to the Court

Examines the attorney's duties to the tribunal, including candor obligations, prohibitions on frivolous claims, discovery ethics, and restrictions on ex parte and improper communications.

•Apply the candor obligations under Rule 3.3 to scenarios involving false evidence, adverse legal authority, and ex parte proceedings
•Distinguish between zealous advocacy and sanctionable misconduct under Rule 3.1 and Federal Rule 11
•Identify the limits on attorney conduct in discovery and communication with represented parties under Rules 3.4 and 4.2

Start learning

20 minutes

Advertising and Solicitation Rules: Balancing Marketing and Professional Standards

Examines the ethical rules governing attorney advertising and solicitation, including prohibitions on false or misleading statements, restrictions on direct solicitation, and social media marketing ethics.

•Distinguish between permissible advertising under Rule 7.1 and prohibited solicitation under Rule 7.3
•Apply the prohibitions on false or misleading communications to lawyer websites, social media, and rating sites
•Evaluate the ethical constraints on testimonials, endorsements, and client reviews in attorney marketing

Start learning

20 minutes

The Disciplinary Process: Grievances, Investigations, and Sanctions

Examines the attorney disciplinary system, including grievance procedures, investigation and prosecution, common violations, sanction types, and case studies of suspensions and disbarments.

•Describe the structure and stages of attorney disciplinary proceedings from grievance to final disposition
•Identify the most common violations leading to discipline and the typical sanctions imposed
•Apply the ABA Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions framework to analyze sanction severity

Start learning