COURSE DESCRIPTION
Elevate your practice beyond mere rule compliance to embody the highest ideals of legal professionalism that distinguish exceptional lawyers from the merely competent. This program explores the intersection of ethics, civility, and professional excellence that defines truly successful legal careers. Discover how professional conduct enhances client relationships, improves case outcomes, and contributes to a more effective justice system.
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Understand the distinction between ethical minimums and professional excellence standards
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Develop strategies for maintaining civility and respect in adversarial proceedings
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Address challenging situations involving difficult opposing counsel and uncooperative parties
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Build a reputation for professionalism that enhances client development and career advancement
Speaker:
Thomas E. Spahn is a partner in the McLean, Virginia office of McGuireWoods, LLP, where he has a substantial practice advising clients on properly creating and preserving the attorney-client privilege and work product protections. For more than 30 years he has lectured extensively on legal ethics and professionalism and has written “The Attorney-Client Privilege and the Work Product Doctrine: A Practitioner’s Guide,” a 750 page treatise published by the Virginia Law Foundation. Mr. Spahn has served as a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and as a member of the Virginia State Bar's Legal Ethics Committee. He received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Yale University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.