Ethics

Individuals with disabilities or with limited English proficiency often require accommodations to successfully access the relief afforded by the bankruptcy system. This requirement applies whether individuals are debtors or creditors. The panelists will discuss accessibility issues and the provision of reasonable accommodations to enable debtors or creditors with differing abilities to access the bankruptcy system. They will also provide practical steps that can be taken to ensure compliance with the Rules of Professional Responsibility, the Bankruptcy Code and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The panel will explore these issues from the perspectives of counsel, judges and the U.S. Trustee’s Office.

Oftentimes lawyers must deal with people in vulnerable positions- and there are a whole host of rules that govern our behavior in those instances. Cheating (misrepresentation, rule 4.1 and 3.3), Preying (deceptive practices, rule 8.4), and Shoving (fairness to opposing parties and counsel, rule 3.4) are prohibited by the attorney ethics rules...and why not learn about them with a little humor? Join internationally recognized speaker Stuart Teicher, Esq., (the "CLE Performer") as he alerts us to the issues that should concern us when interacting with people who might be at a competitive disadvantage when facing a lawyer.

This session will be an interactive program that will inform participants and provide guidance concerning fundamental issues and best practices surrounding professional responsibility and ethical conduct. Part trivia, part panel presentation, the session will engage participants to self-select “answers” from several Jeopardy categories focused on issues of interest, then provide the corresponding “questions” (prizes will be awarded). For each answer/question, our panel will provide analysis and commentary. Plus, you get ethics credit just for showing up!

Join in this discussion on a plethora of current ethical issues, including when it is necessary to obtain a conflict waiver (current vs. recent vs. former clients); directly adverse vs. positionally adverse; relatedness to a prior matter; use of confidential information; review of disinterestedness standards under BC § 101(14) and related disclosure requirements; the ABI Report on Standards of Professional Courtesy and Conduct; Caesars litigation over disinterestedness of debtor’s counsel; professionals retentions and disclosure requirements (disclosing conflicts and the Jay Alix/McKinsey litigation); and litigation financing in the liquidating trust context.

Where is the line between zealous advocacy and unethical conduct? What role does civility play in the legal profession and in our system of justice? How does the practice of civility — even when the judge isn’t there to see it — impact our clients’ interests and our profession? These are just some of the questions this panel will explore as it examines the leading issues in ethical conduct and civility — both in and out of the courtroom.

Social media platforms are everywhere. It has grown into an essential marketing tool for lawyers, who unlike many other working professionals, are bound by strict ethical codes of conduct when it comes to marketing and communicating with non-lawyers. This panel will focus on how attorneys can successfully navigate the minefields of social networking to grow their business while still adhering to the new California Rules of Professional Conduct.