Recently, there have been several instances of seemingly impossible acts of unethical behaviors by lawyers and judges locally and nationally. While our first instinct is to shake our heads at these gaffes and think that we would never act in such a manner, it's important that young lawyers not only smirk at these errors in judgment but learn from them as well. And so, in the interest of laughing and learning, we present the top five lessons young lawyers can learn from infamous cases of misconduct.
Think Before You Act
This can also be thought of as the golden rule of "measure twice, cut once." Lawyers are often applauded for their ability to think on their feet and to make quick decisions. However, there is something to be said for slowing down every once in a while and assessing the decisions that you're on the cusp of making. One example of someone who clearly didn't take a few minutes to think before acting comes to us from Minnesota, where a local divorce lawyer engaged in sexual relations with a client and billed her for the time. (Is this "attorney work product"?) He was suspended from the practice of law for a period of 15 months.
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