Safeguarding Your Legal Career: Avoiding ethical pitfalls
Steven R. Sorenson is an equity shareholder with vonBriesen & Roper, s.c. in their Fox Valley Office located in Neenah, Wisconsin. Sorenson provides counsel on real estate matters, corporate law, business succession planning and estate planning.
On-Demand: November 29, 2023
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Tuition: $195.00
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Program Summary
This program will look at some of the most common ethical mistakes that trap lawyers who do not exercise care and caution in their practice. Too often Lawyers assume that stretching the ethical “rubber band” is okay so long as it helps the client. This could not be farther from the truth. Zealous Advocacy has its place but not when it runs afoul the Rules of Professional Responsibility. Likewise inappropriate use of social media and internet have destroyed many careers before their time.This program will look at the temptations of doing work that is highly profitable but beyond the expertise of the lawyer. It examines the slippery slope of trying to overlook conflicts in joint representations. It also examines the duties of a lawyer to former clients, prospective clients, and firm clients. Finally, it looks at the illusive concepts of “issue” conflicts and recent fee arrangement rulings that say, “there is no such thing as nonrefundable retainer”. The seminar may raise more issues than it answers, but it will provide a roadmap to finding answers when ethical conundrums arise.
This course is co-sponsored with myLawCLE.
Key topics to be discussed:
- How Competent do I have to be?
- That’s not really a Conflict of Interest, is it?
- Of course, I can coach my witness. What is wrong with a few hand signals?
- Why can’t I tell the world how well it did?
- What do you mean I can’t take a nonrefundable retainer?
Date / Time: November 29, 2023
Closed-captioning available
Speakers
Steven R. Sorenson, Esq. | von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
Steven R. Sorenson is an equity shareholder with vonBriesen & Roper, s.c. in their Fox Valley Office located in Neenah, Wisconsin. Sorenson provides counsel on real estate matters, corporate law, business succession planning and estate planning. He also represents several municipalities through specializing in matters related to real estate acquisition, annexation, land use, zoning, smart growth, waterfront litigation and nonmetallic mining. He is a Fond du Lac County Court Commissioner and serves as a mediator and arbitrator in real estate and labor disputes. Sorenson has served in many capacities with the State Bar of Wisconsin, including terms as President and Secretary, as well as chairing several of their Standing Committees, including the Finance, Solo and Small Firm, Communications, Convention and Entertainment Committees. He was also President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents and a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates. Sorenson is a frequent lecturer on legal ethics, law office succession planning and lawyer mental health. Additionally, Sorenson is an adjunct professor at Ripon College in both the Government & Politics and Business Departments. He has also taught at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Marian University. Currently he serves as the Treasurer of the American Legion Badger Boys State Board of Directors where he has been a staff member for the past 49 years. Sorenson resides in Green Lake Wisconsin with his wife Susan and maintains a seasonal residence in Laona, Wisconsin
Agenda
I. How Competent do I have to be? | 12:00pm – 12:20pm
II. That’s not really a Conflict of Interest, is it? | 12:20pm – 12:40pm
III. Of course, I can coach my witness. What is wrong with a few hand signals? | 12:40pm – 1:00pm
Break | 1:00pm – 1:10pm
IV. Why can’t I tell the world how well it did? | 1:10pm – 1:40pm
V. What do you mean I can’t take a nonrefundable retainer? | 1:40pm – 2:10pm
Preview
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