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DePaul University

Ken goes back to law school

August 24, 2017 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

One of the things I appreciate about my job is coaching future, aspiring attorneys as they begin their legal education. I’ve been doing this for many years, and once again I was asked to participate as a guest speaker during DePaul University’s welcome week for first-year law students. It was everything a practicing attorney could hope for in a group of law candidates—smart, insightful, ambitious.

For the non-attorneys out there, welcome week is perhaps one of the most memorable moments of law school. It typically begins with a brief introduction from the Dean of Students and ends with the most important of tasks: an oath of duty, recited just before breaking off into small group sessions in which a practicing attorney (me) leads a conversation about ethics and professionalism. Perhaps some do it differently but this has been my experience over the last few years, and it makes me appreciate the early beginnings of my own legal education.

That’s a brief way of saying that welcome week is an opportunity for young attorneys to get a taste of the next three years. Ethics, of course, is a big part of that. Part of my task was to introduce two hypothetical scenarios, each presented with several ethical dilemmas and gray areas that were not so easily dismissible. For example, one scenario dealt with an established attorney who encouraged a young legal associate to engage in unethical practices because, to paraphrase, “You’re young. You have your whole career ahead of you, so it doesn’t matter if you get caught now.” A second scenario dealt with a group of attorneys who liked to use hardball tactics to intimidate and frustrate the opposing counsel by sending documents at 11:59 pm on a Sunday. That led to a discussion about what might be considered technically legal but not necessarily professional.

The reasons for doing these exercises might seem self-explanatory, but they are beneficial on multiple levels. They are designed to give students a glimpse into their coursework, but also to stir debate about the nature of the profession, primarily how important it is to preserve your reputation, whether you’re a first-year attorney or one with decades of legal experience. The legal world is small; at some point, news gets around to other attorneys and judges. I went as far as to provide examples of similar situations that I’ve had to deal with in my legal career, including a hardened defense attorney who would not agree to an extension for one of my clients, who had a massive stroke just days earlier. The judge granted the request, and I doubt he’s forgotten how shallow and unprofessional it was for the defense to insist that my request be denied.

My goal for these types of mentorship opportunities is simple. I want to be helpful, and I want others to feel as though they learned something new. At the same time, I feel like I learn something new too.

Orientation Day: Back to law school

August 31, 2015 by Ken Levinson Leave a Comment

A special stop at DePaul University.

Almost 26 years to the day, I started my first day of law school. I was excited, nervous and not sure what to expect. I was meeting new people, getting to know the campus and privately wondering if I’d make it through three years of intense study. There were always moments of doubt, but I knew I was making the right decision.

Roughly a week ago, I was reminded of that decision and how much I love being a lawyer. On Wednesday, DePaul University welcomed its newest crop of law students for the 2015–2016 academic year, part of the Professionalism Orientation Program, a statewide initiative that takes place annually at all nine of Illinois’ law schools. The program is designed to give students an opportunity to interact with their peers and a few experienced lawyers from around the city. The best part: it gives local attorneys like me a chance to mingle with the future of the profession.

As part of the program, an Illinois Supreme Court Justice speaks to incoming students about the responsibilities of being a lawyer. Students then take the Pledge of Professionalism, and later, they participate in a facilitated discussion (led by practicing attorneys) that touches on the ethical and moral dilemmas that often arise in the practice of law.

Our group talked about a range of topics: The process of disclosing delicate information, even if it might be detrimental to a case; the context with which deleted social media posts constitutes destroying evidence and violating ethical rules; client confidentiality; and professionalism, especially. The students voiced their thoughts on courtesy and cordialness, right and wrong, which turned into an important part of our discussion that afternoon.

Before then, I had a great conversation with members of the DePaul Law faculty and the invited attorneys who were facilitating other groups. We talked a lot about the responsibilities we have to our clients, but also to one another. I was reminded of one of my first cases as a young lawyer. I’d been working with a much more experienced colleague who’d been haggling with a defense attorney all morning. It was a heated discussion, firing on all cylinders. Two people couldn’t have been at greater odds. So it was surprising when both attorneys, after the fact, decided to grab lunch together.

I don’t expect all opposing counsels will want to break bread after a heated debate, but I was struck by the similarities in the context of the 20-or-so students that I’d been charged to lead. There were lots of passionate opinions, but respectful ones nonetheless. And when it comes down to it, respect is the most important as we work with our peers.  It was nice to see that same feeling reflected during the first day of law school. The students at DePaul are embarking on a great journey, and they all seem headed in a great direction. I felt privileged to be just a small part of it.

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