Course1

Ethical Issues When You Have a Dishonest Client

$79.00

One of the dangers of practicing law is that, now and again, you get a dishonest client.  Your client may be misleading you – and others – about the facts of their case, either through silence or affirmative misstatements.  Or they may be telling you one thing and others something else different.  You may discover proof of the dishonesty or just suspect it. Client dishonesty raises many ethical issues.  What must you do to ensure your client is telling you the truth?  What if you discover a client is lying to a court or tribunal?  Are you allowed to disclose the dishonesty despite the duty of client confidentiality?  Are there degrees of client dishonesty – some acceptable, others not?  This program will provide you with a guide to the substantial ethical issues when client dishonesty is discovered or suspected.    Tension between the duty of confidentiality and the duty to be honest in communications Determining whether a client is lying – active v. passive, fact v. opinion, affirmative statements v. silence Unknowing attorney representations on basis of client dishonesty Duties of disclosure and to whom – the tribunal, third parties? Mandatory and permissive withdrawals from a case, including “noisy” withdrawals Discovery of dishonesty in closed matters   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 40 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750-page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation.  Mr. Spahn has served as a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.   Elizabeth Treubert Simon is an ethics attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she advises on a wide range of ethics and compliance-related matters to support Akin Gump’s offices worldwide.  Previously, her practice focused on business and commercial litigation and providing counsel to clients regarding professional ethics and attorney disciplinary procedures.  She is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Discipline and the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct Rules Review Committee.  She is the immediate past chair of the District of Columbia Legal Ethics Committee.  She writes and speaks extensively on attorney ethics issues.  

  • MP3 Download
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 7/30/2026
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Course1

Lawyer Ethics and Disputes with Clients

$79.00

Ethical tensions are perhaps never as great as when a lawyer is in dispute with a client. The dispute may arise over fees, communication, perceived conflicts of interest, or something else.  In these and other circumstances, the lawyer’s duties of loyalty, zealous representation and confidentiality are all brought into direct conflict with the lawyer’s interest in self-defense. In these extremely delicate circumstances, the lawyer must determine what information may disclosed in his or her self-defense, its impact on the attorney-client privilege, and what steps he or she can take to de-escalate the conflict.  This program will provide you with a real-world guide to the ethical issues for a lawyer when he or she is in conflict with a client.   Disputes involving lawyers’ fees, communications, unfavorable result of representation, conflicts of interest, malpractice claims Confidentiality and self-defense – what disclosure of confidences is permissible?   Waivers and engagement letters to prevent dispute – or mitigate their damage Permissible and mandatory withdrawals from a representation Special attorney-client privilege issues in these disputes   Speakers: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections.  For more than 30 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation.  Mr. Spahn has served as a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee.  He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. Elizabeth Treubert Simon is an ethics attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she advises on a wide range of ethics and compliance-related matters to support Akin Gump’s offices worldwide.  Previously, her practice focused on business and commercial litigation and providing counsel to clients regarding professional ethics and attorney disciplinary procedures.  She is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Discipline and the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct Rules Review Committee.  She is the immediate past chair of the District of Columbia Legal Ethics Committee.  She writes and speaks extensively on attorney ethics issues.   She received her B.A. and M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Albany Law School.

  • MP3 Download
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 8/6/2026
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Course1

The Gig Economy Lawyer: Ethics of Freelance and Contract Legal Work

$79.00

As the legal profession continues to evolve alongside the modern workforce, freelance and contract-based legal services are becoming increasingly common. This program explores the ethical challenges and professional responsibilities attorneys face when participating in the gig economy, including issues related to confidentiality, supervision, client relationships, and regulatory compliance. Attendees will gain practical guidance for navigating remote and flexible legal work while maintaining adherence to applicable rules of professional conduct.     Understand ethical obligations related to competence, supervision, and unauthorized practice in freelance legal work Analyze confidentiality risks and data security considerations when working remotely or through third-party platforms Navigate fee-splitting rules, client relationships, and disclosure requirements in contract-based engagements Identify best practices for maintaining professionalism, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring compliance with applicable rules   Speaker: Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections. For more than 30 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation. Mr. Spahn has served as a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.

  • MP3 Download
    Format
  • 60
    Minutes
  • 5/19/2028
    Avail. Until
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