VALPARAISO  UNIVERSITY
 SCHOOL OF LAW

JOHN POTTS, PROFESSOR OF LAW

 

L e g a l _P r o f e s s i o n


L a w _2 2 0

 

Spring 2008 Syllabus

page one

 

Copyright © 2008 by John J. Potts

___________________________

 

¥ assignment last changed Wednesday, April 16, 2008, 11:15 A.M. ¥

 

 

Link to judges rules (which you already have):

ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct (February 2007)

 

Links from ABA web site to correlation tables translating between old and new judges rules, and to an overview of new rules:

 

1.  1990 Model Code compared to 2007 Model Code

2.  2007 Model Code compared to 1990 Model Code

3.  Overview of ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct 2007

 

 

¥ syllabus adjusted from time to time for course progress ¥

¥ printing not recommended ¥

Home      Professor John Potts

 

Welcome!

 

This is page one of the syllabus. Important additional information is located: on page two, which contains, among other things, the book list; and on page three, which contains the Attendance Policy.

Reading assignments

Week 1

Monday, January 7

¥ Introduction

¥ Begin reading:

¥ Preface, p. vii.

¥ Chapter One, Introduction to the Legal Profession, pp. 1-14

Wednesday, January 9

¥ Chapter One, Introduction to the Legal Profession, pp. 14-24

Week 2

Monday, January 14

¥ Further discussion of the Model Rules provisions assigned at pages 7 & 9

¥ Chapter One, Introduction to the Legal Profession, pp. 14-24

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, pp. 25-33

Wednesday, January 16

¥ Cochran & Collett, pp. 14-33

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, pp. 39-44

Week 3

Monday, January 21

¥ Classes cancelled.  MLK Commemoration.

Wednesday, January 23

¥ chicagotribune.com

Inmate's freedom may hinge on secret kept for 26 years

By Maurice Possley

TRIBUNE REPORTER

January 19, 2008

¥ Cochran & Collett, pp. 25-33

Week 4

Monday, January 28

¥ Further discussion of Cochran & Collett, pp. 25-33

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, pp. 39-44

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, pp. 50-54

Wednesday, January 30

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, pp. 50-54

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, Item 4, p. 58, through p. 60

Week 5

Monday, February 4

¥ Chapter Two, The Lawyer-Client Relationship, Item 4, p. 58, through p. 60

¥ Chapter Three, Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege, pp. 61-65

Wednesday, February 6

¥ The linked article raises issues relating to representation.

 

Spears' Manager Accused of Drugging Her  
Feb 5 03:46 PM US/Eastern

By LINDA DEUTSCH

AP Special Correspondent

¥ Chapter Three, Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege, pp. 65-72

¥ Chapter Three, Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege, pp. 73-86

Week 6

Monday, February 11

¥ Chapter Three, Confidentiality and the Attorney-Client Privilege, pp. 86-95

¥ Chapter Four, Conflicts of Interest, pp. 97-102

Wednesday, February 13

¥ Finish discussion of Hotz v. Minyard, page 97

Week 7

Monday, February 18

¥ Chapter Four, Conflicts of Interest, pp. 102-119

Wednesday, February 20

¥ Chapter Four, Conflicts of Interest, pp. 120-125

Week 8

Monday, February 25

¥ Chapter Four, Conflicts of Interest, pp. 125-130

¥ Chapter Four, Conflicts of Interest, pp. 130-146

¥ The nature of a corporation

¥ Explanation of corporate power structure – ownership and derivative power

¥ Explanation of corporation v. partnership – aggregate v. entity concepts

¥ Corporate attributes and their significance

Wednesday, February 27

¥ The nature of a corporation

¥ Explanation of corporate power structure - ownership and derivative power

¥ Explanation of corporation v. partnership - aggregate v. entity concepts

¥ Corporate attributes and their significance

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 147-150

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 152-155

Weeks 9 &10

Spring Break - Sunday, March 2, through Sunday, March 16

Week 11 (class week 9)

Monday, March 17

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 155-173

Wednesday, March 19

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 174-183

Week 12 (class week 10)

Monday, March 24

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 183-203

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 203-207

Wednesday, March 26

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 207-210

¥ Chapter Five, Lawyer Advocacy and Its Limits, pp. 210-217

¥ Chapter Six, Business Problems in the Practice of Law, pp. 219-224

Week 13 (class week 11)

Monday, March 31

¥ Chapter Six, Business Problems in the Practice of Law, pp. 224-236

¥ Chapter Six, Business Problems in the Practice of Law, pp. 237-240

Wednesday, April 2

¥ Chapter Six, Business Problems in the Practice of Law, pp. 240-252

Week 14 (class week 12)

Monday, April 7

¥ Chapter Seven, Provision of Legal Services, pp. 253-274

Wednesday, April 9

¥ Chapter Seven, Provision of Legal Services, pp. 274-291

¥ Chapter Seven, Provision of Legal Services, pp. 291-299

Week 15 (class week 13)

Monday, April 14

¥ Chapter Seven, Provision of Legal Services, pp. 299-307

N.B.  We will be using the 2007 judges rules.  The casebook uses references to the 1990 rules.  A link to a correlation table translating old references to new references is provided at the top of this syllabus, as is a link to an overview of the new rules.

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, pp. 309-318

Wednesday, April 16

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, pp. 312-318

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, pp. 318-339

Three classes left

Week 16 (class week 14)

Monday, April 21

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, pp. 330-339, previously read, partially discussed

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, pp. 339-350

¥ Chapter Eight, Judges, discussion of judges rules.*  We wonÕt discuss all the judges rules, but consider all assigned.

¥ At the beginning of the semester I said all of the rules for lawyers and all the rules for judges are assigned.  I may also have said that the casebook assigns all the rules except one, but consider it assigned, too.  ItÕs simpler and more complete this way.

¥ I donÕt know whether it remains true that all the rules except one are assigned by the casebook, after considering the new rules and the correlation table.  But my view remains the same:  all the rules are assigned.  Lest anyone be confused, I am referring to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, August 2003, and the Model Code of Judicial Conduct (February 2007).  I am not referring to the other sets of rules found in the Morgan and Rotunda rules book.

¥ *Together with discussion of Overview of ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct 2007, which is assigned

Two classes left

Wednesday, April 23

¥ Review

¥ Inter alia, FYI, Practice Exam

One class left

Week 17 (class week 15/exam week 1)

Monday, April 28

¥ Last day of this class - Review

¥ FYI, Practice Exam

Tuesday, April 29

¥ Last day of classes - Friday class schedule. We do not meet.

Wednesday, April 30

¥ Reading Day

Thursday, May 1

¥ Final Exams begin

Week 18 (exam week 2)

Saturday, May 10

¥ Legal Profession, Course 220A, Final Exam - 9:00 A.M.-11:30 A.M.

¥ Tabor Classroom - 2 1/2 hours

This information is provided here for your convenience.  There is no intention to override the official exam schedule.  In the event of conflict, the official exam schedule, from the Registrar, governs.

¥ Last Day of Exams

Week 19

Wednesday, May 14

¥ Grade deadline for May graduates - 12:00 P.M.

Saturday, May 17

¥ Commencement, 10:00 A.M.

¥ Chapel of the Resurrection

Monday, June 9

Spring grades deadline - 12:00 P.M.