CAL NORTHERN SCHOOL OF LAW
SYLLABUS – SUMMER 2015
COURSE:
Professional Responsibility
Thursdays– 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
COURSE NO.:
UNITS:
INSTRUCTOR:
314
2
Alan G. Schmidt, Attorney at Law
Availability: Immediately after class or by appointment
Contact Information:
Phone; (530) 828-9224 (cell)
Email: aschmidt1952@yahoo.com
REQUIRED TEXTS:
1.
2.
3.
California Legal Ethics, 8th Ed., Wydick, Perschbacher and
Basset (Thompson-West)
Optional: 2015 Selected Standards on Professional
Responsibility, Morgan and Retunda (Foundation Press) Students are encouraged to use Lexis-Nexis, the Internet, or
the law library to find the information contained in this text.
Bring your laptop to class if you are using the Internet to
access statutes, rules, and other source material.
4.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The course serves as an introduction to the rules, statutes, and case
law governing attorney conduct, including a lawyer’s professional and ethical duties to clients
and to the courts, the record keeping and fiduciary responsibilities of lawyers, attorney
advertising, and elimination of bias in the legal profession.
COURSE GOALS AND STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
Course Goals:
I.
Doctrinal Knowledge
a.
Substantive Law
b.
Underlying policy and jurisprudence
II. Critical Thinking
a.
Statute & Case Analysis – comprehending and evaluating arguments, comparing
and contrasting cases, and synthesizing law
b.
Problem Analysis – application of law to new factual contexts
c.
Problem Solving – creative thinking, analogizing, recognizing policy objectives
III. Communication Skills
a.
Oral/Written Communication – Ability to orally and/or in writing present factual
information and to persuasively argue the law as applied to facts
IV. Professionalism
a.
Ethical obligations, appropriate demeanor, rules of civility
Prof Respon Syllabus Summer 2015
Page 1 of 3
Student Learning Outcomes:
Specific student learning outcomes shall include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of the rules and requirements of
Professional Responsibility.
Students will identify and explain underlying public policy concerns as it relates
to the topic.
Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze cases and/or statutes.
Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the law to new factual contexts
using the traditional IRAC format.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The course has three objectives:
1.
2.
3.
To identify the substantive rules of legal ethics and professional responsibility.
To examine scenarios presenting ethics issues and discuss the problems students
will encounter in the practice of the law.
To prepare students for the Multi-State Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)
and the California Bar Examination.
MPRE:
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a
requirement for admission to practice law in California. Information concerning the MPRE can
be found on the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ website at www.ncbex.org. Cal
Northern is now a test site for the MPRE.
California Bar Examination: According to the State Bar of California’s website,
(http://admissions.calbar.ca.gov/), applicants for the Bar should be prepared to answer questions
that test knowledge of:





the California Rules of Professional Conduct;
relevant sections of the California Business and Professions Code;
leading federal and state case law on the subject;
the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct; and
the ABA Model Code of Professional Responsibility.
Professional Responsibility issues may be included in conjunction with any subject tested on the
examination. Professional Responsibility issues may also constitute an entire exam question.
Professional Responsibility issues may be (and often are) tested more than once at any given
exam date.
ATTENDANCE:
Students must attend class as required by school policy. Roll sheets will
be turned into the administration office at the first break and are thereafter unavailable for
signing. Administration will be advised of students signing in and then leaving class early.
Consequences for absence due to leaving class early or failing to sign the roll sheet will be
determined in accordance with school policy.
CLASS PARTICIPATION:
Please be prepared to participate in class discussion based
on the assigned reading. The “Discussion Problems” listed at the beginning of each chapter in
Prof Respon Syllabus Summer 2015
Page 2 of 3
the California Legal Ethics text will be the basis of the class discussions.
EXAMINATIONS & GRADING: There will be a midterm and a final examination. The
examinations will consist of essay questions. Students will receive a numeric grade. The course
grade will be based on a midterm examination worth 33% of the final grade and a final
examination worth 66% of the final grade.
ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE: Students must read the assigned chapters in the California Legal
Ethics text, and the statutes, code sections and rules listed in the “Reading Assignment” at the
beginning of each chapter (See text, pp. 2-3) but not the materials in the “Supplemental Reading”
section. Other reading may be assigned from time to time. Please note the schedule is subject to
revision.
DATE ASSIGNMENT/TOPIC
5/14
1) Review the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) –
MPRE website www.ncbex.org
2) Review the MPRE -2014 Info Booklet (available on the NCBE
website)
http://www.ncbex.org/uploads/user_docrepos/MPRE_IB2011.pdf
(Hard copy also available in the CNSL Administration Office.)
3) Bookmark and familiarize yourself with the Ethics section of the
State Bar website: http://ethics.calbar.ca.gov/
4) Read Chapters 1 and 2 - California Legal Ethics
5) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
5/21
1) Read Chapters 3 & 4 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
5/28
1) Read Chapters 5 & 6 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
6/4
1) Read Chapter 7 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
3) Review for Midterm Examination
6/11
Midterm Examination
6/18
7/25
1) Read Chapters 8 & 9 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
1)1) Read Chapters 10 & 11 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
1) Read Chapters 12 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
1) Read Chapter 13 & 14 - California Legal Ethics
2) Review Statutes, Code Sections, and rules.
Finish any Remaining Material and
Review for Final Examination
Final Examination
8/15
MPRE Examination (Optional)
6/25
7/2
7/9
7/16
Prof Respon Syllabus Summer 2015
OBJECTIVES
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
I, II, III, IV
Page 3 of 3