LAW 704 Influence and Responsibility of the Lawyer as a Public Citizen
This course is designed to provoke students to wrestle with the meaning of the lawyer's ethical mandate to be a "public citizen with a special responsibility for the quality of justice." The initial classes will focus on law and social responsibility through study of, among other things, the Preamble to the Rules of Professional Conduct, select portions of the U.S. and N.C. Constitutions, scholarly articles, and other materials which inform on the issue of a lawyer's role in society. Later class sessions will be devoted to each of the following legal matters of public concern: 1) the role of law as a tool for social change; 2) the origins and ramifications of corporate personhood; 3) poverty and the availability of legal services; and, 4) market-based reforms of public education. Other topics relevant to current events and student interests will also be studied and discussed. Readings will include court decisions, briefs, law review articles, and relevant writings from other disciplines. The instructor will facilitate the discussions of the selected readings to deeply involve students in publicly questioning, challenging, and defending arguments central to the weekly topic(s). Guest speakers may be invited to selected class sessions and video resources will be used as needed. Emphasis will be placed on the thoughtful articulation of professional ethical issues raised by the readings. This course will require a paper, which may satisfy the upper-level writing requirement.