Slides from the presentation by Professor Andrew Boon (University of Westminster) from the UK Centre for Legal Education's event; Legal ethics at the academic stage: exploring the issues. 10 May 2010.

1. Legal ethics at the preliminary stage: exploring the issuesInstitute of Advanced Legal StudiesMay 2010Plenary

2. “Aren’t there some ethical problems?” “There are no ethics anymore, Bro. You’re in la-la land. Ethics are only for people like you to teach to students who’ll never use them. I hate to be the one to break it to you.” John Grisham The Summons (p.176)

3. “… advise setting general, flexible guidance and specifying ‘outcomes’ following consultation …” (with a view to changing joint announcement) OR (if not possible) Require anyone seeking to progress to vocational stage to ‘demonstrate knowledge, understanding and commitment to the core values in Rule One...’ AND Vocational providers make contingency plans to provide a ‘solid ethical foundation’. Economides and Rogers

4. Pupil: Law “Occasionally Law does revert to its past and tries to be like children outside the School. Law is sometimes caught playing “Let’s pretend” games – let’s pretend we are an advocate or let’s pretend we are interviewing a client. Law sometimes forgets it is not there to pretend anything anymore. It is in School to be a pupil and do the things that other pupils do. This will not make School (sic) popular with children outside School. They would like Law to do their work. They think they should dictate that Law does even when it is in School. Law needs to remember that those outside School usually do not understand the School and usually do not have its best interests in mind.” Tony Bradney Editorial The Reporter (newsletter of the Society of Legal Scholars)

5. Perspectives Day one outcomes for qualification as a solicitor At the point of admission, a solicitor should be able to demonstrate: A Core knowledge and understanding of the law applied in England and Wales Knowledge of: • the jurisdiction, authority and procedures of the legal institutions and professions that initiate, develop, interpret and apply the law of England and Wales and the European Union; • applicable constitutional law and judicial review processes; • the rules of professional conduct, including the Solicitors’ Accounts Rules; and • the regulatory and fiscal frameworks within which business, legal and financial services transactions are conducted.

6. Perspectives ‘It is important to convey to students the diversity of practice and the accompanying modes of professionalism. Our students should begin to appreciate that different practices involve different skills and cultures’. E.W. Myers ‘Simple Truths About Moral Education’ (1996) 45 The American University Law Review 823