LAW 9172 - Practice, Problem-Solving and Professional Responsibility

Lawyers assume many leadership roles as professionals in today’s society, all of them grounded in problem solving: advocate, counselor, negotiator, transactional architect, officer of the legal system, and public citizen with a special responsibility for justice. . These roles also form the foundation for the rules that govern lawyers’ professional behavior. This course will foster an understanding of the lawyer’s role as a problem‑solving professional as it is expressed in these professional rules and carried out in practice. It will provide an overview of the range of dispute resolution processes lawyers use to resolve client problems, such as negotiation, mediation and arbitration. It will also introduce students to the ways lawyers employ problem‑solving skills in the legislative process and as in non‑traditional legal jobs such as compliance officers. Law students will be introduced to the key skills of effective communication and negotiation and will explore the breadth of career possibilities available for lawyers. Student learning will be enriched throughout the course using a variety of experiential strategies to promote practical skill development.

Required Course

Credits: 3 Credits