Description
Paralegals and legal assistants are an integral part of most attorneys’ practices, performing an increasingly-wider range of tasks, from drafting documents to conducting legal research. Although paralegals have their own set of conduct guidelines, their supervising attorney bears a significant duty to supervise, train, and ensure that their staff also indirectly complies with the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC). If a paralegal's actions breach client confidentiality, compromise the attorney-client privilege, or are otherwise improper, the supervising lawyer is ethically responsible for that misconduct and could face serious disciplinary action.
In this one-hour program, legal ethics expert Tom Spahn will explore the scope of supervisory duties an attorney is bound by, what kind of work can be assigned to a paralegal, and how the MRPC guide both.
This informative program addresses the ethical issues that arise when a paralegal is involved in client work, and specifically considers:
Determining when paralegal research and document preparation becomes the unauthorized practice of law
How paralegals must be instructed about client confidentiality and the risks of disclosure – and lawyer consequences for a breach
Attorney-client privilege and work-product doctrine applications to paralegals and how to maximize protections for them and for you
Issues when paralegals participate in discovery
Conflicts of interest and the attribution of paralegal knowledge about client matters, including the need for a conflict screen
Billing matters and fee sharing with paralegals