A well-known legal aphorism states that while a good lawyer knows the law, a great lawyer knows the judge. Kidding aside, in order to be successful, a litigator must routinely have positive interactions with judges.
This course will explore ways lawyers can improve their interactions with judges without running afoul of legal and ethical rules that limit the ways that lawyers and judges can interact with one another. Among the topics that will be discussed are MCLE classes and bar receptions, social media, courtroom advocacy and social hospitality.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand the legal and ethical rules that govern judges’ interactions with lawyers both on and off the bench.
• Understand the legal and ethical rules that govern lawyers’ interactions with judges both inside and outside the courtroom.
• Review examples of appropriate and inappropriate interactions between lawyers and judges.
• Examine strategies for successful advocacy.
ABA Rules to be covered - Model Rules of Professional Conduct: 1.6, 3.3, 3.6, 8.2
Model Code of Judicial Conduct - Canon 1, Rule 2.9, Rule 3.7, Rule 3.13, Rule 4.4
Presenter Bios
Steve Berenson is an administrative law judge with the California Department of Social Services. Prior to his current appointment, Judge Berenson represented lawyers in legal malpractice, bar discipline, and judicial conduct cases. He worked as a full-time law teacher for more than two decades at three ABA-approved law schools, teaching courses in legal ethics, family law and veterans law.
Judge Berenson began his career as an Assistant Attorney General in the Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General, focusing on administrative, constitutional, and consumer protection litigation.
If you intend to take a course for CLE credit, please make sure your state is listed in the "Accreditation" section to the upper right of the program description. Accreditation displayed is unique to the purchased program format (live conference, live webcast, on demand, podcast). Credit totals listed for live conferences are the maximum credits available. Credits issued will be based upon actual time in attendance. Credit totals for other formats are for complete programs. Partial credit is not available for any online or downloadable format.
West LegalEdcenter will not provide accreditation for states not listed.
This product is intended for individual use by the named purchaser. Group viewings for online programs may be arranged for five or more attorneys within the same organization prior to viewing by emailing west.wlec-sales@thomson.com.
