BARBRI-LECTURE-HANDOUT

LECTUREHANDOUTPROFESSORPAULLISNEK*IfthelecturerinyourjurisdictionisnotProfessorLisnek,pleasecontactyourlocalBARBRIofficetoobtainacopyofthehandout.Copyright©2014byBARBRI,Inc.Copyright©2014byBARBRI,Inc.MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMDR.PAULM.LISNEK,ESQ.ThefollowingoutlineindicatestheMPRE’sscopeofcoverageandtheapproximatepercentageofitemsthatareincludedineachmajorarea.(MostitemsinboldfacetypearetakendirectlyfromthepublishedMPREtestingspecificationsandhavebeenreprintedwithpermission.)Theoutlineisnotintendedtolisteveryaspectofatopicmentioned.AlthoughthetestitemsforeachMPREaredevelopedfromthesecategories,eachtopicisnotnecessarilytestedoneachexamination.I.REGULATIONOFTHELEGALPROFESSION(6-12%)A.PowersofCourtsandOtherBodiestoRegulateLawyers1.AmericanBarAssociationa.Voluntarymembershipandnodisciplinaryauthorityb.ABAModelRulesofProfessionalConduct(1983)modifiedbyEthics20001)“Must”rules—mandatory(disciplinaryrules)2)“Should”rules—advisory(ethicalconsiderations)–Nopunishmentforviolation2.MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMINATION3)TypesofDisciplineforviolatingaMandatoryRule:a)PrivateReprimand/Censureb)PublicReprimand/Censurec)Suspension(forafiniteperiod)d)Disbarment2.Judicialexercisea.U.S.SupremeCourtisultimateauthorityb.State’shighestcourtdeterminesrulesforstate3.Statelaws—“moralturpitude”vs.“goodmoralcharacter”B.AdmissiontotheProfession1.U.S.SupremeCourtsaysstaterequirementsforadmissiontobarneedtoberationallyrelatedtothepracticeoflawa.Whatisrational?1)2)MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMINATION3.b.Whatisnotrational?(i.e.,whatcannotberequired)1)2)2.Requirementsforyouwhenyouapplytothebara.Truthandfulldisclosureb.Dutytocooperate3.Requirementsforlawyersregardingapplicantsa.Goodapplicants–yourinputisaspirational/“should”b.Badapplicants–dutytoreportwhenasked,ortocorrectsomethingyoubelievemayhaveariseninthematter.C.RegulationAfterAdmission–LawyerDiscipline1.Regulatedbyhigheststatecourt(andthroughitsagencies)D.MandatoryandPermissiveReportingofProfessionalMisconduct1.Self-regulatingprofession—withtwo-prongeddutywhenyouknowofaviolationa.b.4.MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMINATION2.Ifunethicalconductisacrime,mustberelevanttosomeaspectofpracticeoflaw.3.Alawyerwhocommitsfraudintheconductofabusinessissubjecttodiscipline,evenifthelawyerisnotactiveinthepracticeoflaw.4.Wherealawyerlearnsofthebadconductofanotherlawyerthroughrepresentationofthatlawyerasaclient,thedutyofconfidentialitywilltrumpthedutytoreportthemisconducttothebar,ORthroughmembershipinthathelpslawyersandjudgeswithsubstanceabuseproblems.PROBLEMNO.1ApplicantisapplyingforadmissiontotheStateABar.WhenApplicantwasinhighschool,heandhisparentslivedinStateB,nextdoortoAttorney.AttorneyisadmittedtopracticeinStateB,butnotinStateA.Applicantseemedtobeapromisinglad,andAttorneywasdisappointedtolearnthatduringhissenioryearinhighschoolApplicantwasconvictedofburglarizingaliquorstore.Afterservinghissentence,Applicantwenttocollegeandlatertolawschool.AttorneyhashadnocontactwithApplicantsincehishighschoolyears,butsofarasAttorneyknows,Applicanthasnotdoneanythingsincehighschoolthatwouldreflectbadlyonhischaracter.TheBarofStateAsentAttorneyaroutinequestionnaire,askingaseriesofquestionsaboutApplicant’scharacter.AttorneydoesnotknowwhetherApplicantdisclosedtheburglaryconvictiononhisBarapplication,andshedoesnotknowwheretocontacthimtofindout.HowmustAttorneyrespondtothequestionnaire?A.Attorneyshouldnotrespondatall,becauseshehasnorelevantinformationtoprovide.B.Attorneyshouldnotrespondatall,becauseasaStateBlawyersheisnotobligatedtoprovideinformationtotheBarofStateA.C.AttorneyshouldnotmentionApplicant’sburglaryconvictioninherresponseunlessshefirstcontactshimandobtainshispermissiontodoso.D.AttorneyshouldstatewhatsheknowsaboutApplicant,includingmentionofhisburglaryconviction.MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMINATION5.PROBLEMNO.2DuringthetrialofacasebyAttorneyDorothy,AttorneyBlanchetookshelterinatavernfromanunexpectedrainstorm.Whileinthetavern,AttorneyBlanchesawAttorneyDorothyhavingadrinkwithajuroronthecaseAttorneyDorothywastrying.WhatisrequiredconductforAttorneyBlanche?A.Keepthisknowledgeconfidential.B.IdentifyherselftoDorothyandreprimandDorothyfordrinkinginapublicplacewithajuror.C.Informthejudgetryingthecaseofthisincident.D.CautionDorothyandthejurornottotalkfurtherwitheachother.E.Multi-jurisdictionalPractice1.Unauthorizedpractice–can’tdoitwherenotadmitted2.Permissibletemporarymulti-jurisdictionalpracticea.Associatewithanactivelocallawyerb.Specialpermissioncalledprohacvicec.Mediationorarbitrationoutofhomestatepractice6.MULTISTATEPROFESSIONALRESPONSIBILITYEXAMINATIONd.Anythingreasonablyrelatedtolawyer’shomestatepracticeNOTE:ForeignlawyersmayalsopracticetemporarilyintheUnitedStatesundersimilarcircumstances.Also,theymayprovidelegalservicestemporarilyintheU.S.iftheservicesaregovernedprimarilybyinternationallaworthelawofaforeignjurisdiction.3.Permissiblepermanentmulti-jurisdictionalpractice–Employedbyheronlyclientwhichhasseveralofficesoffices(appliestoBOTHU.S.orForeignlawyers)NOTE