In this course, we will explore the duties, responsibilities, relationships, and commitments that inform and govern our work as legal professionals. The course will combine critical/conceptual and practical/applied approaches. We will reflect critically on the foundational principles of legal ethics, and on the role of lawyers and the legal profession within society. We will consider what it means to be a self-governing profession, and we will learn about the institutions and rules that govern us (including the Law Society of Ontario and the Rules of Professional Conduct). We will also use problem-based learning to explore some of the complicated legal ethical issues that can arise for lawyers. Here, our aims will include recognizing and characterizing problems of legal ethics; identifying tools, resources, and strategies that can help us resolve (and, in some instances, avoid) those problems; and determining how the problems may—or must—be resolved.
Please note that, given the learning objectives and pedagogical structure of this course, in-person attendance will be mandatory (and will be assessed as part of the Participation & Engagement mark), and all uses of Generative AI will be strictly prohibited.
Method of Evaluation:
• Participation & Engagement (20%)
• Assignment: case/problem analysis & in-class panel discussion (20%)
• Final Exam (sit-down) (60%)