Miami Law’s Professional Responsibility & Ethics Program (PREP) continues to provide a forum for students to present to attorneys the ethical challenges which confronts today’s legal profession.
Last semester, PREP students Janelly Crespo, Dalisi Otero, and Gina Villar presented a panel at the National Security and Armed Conflict Symposium at Miami Law. This was a first for PREP - students analyzed the ethical laws of military officers, lawyers, and personnel. Under the direction of Jan Jacobowitz, director of PREP, the students covered various topics, including how lawyers can protect their client’s confidential information while using the “cloud;” how the National Security Agency has affected this duty lawyers have; and how Commanders in the military play a huge role in the prosecutorial aspect of the military justice system.
“It was an eye-opening experience because in preparation, we learned about the major differences between the military justice system and the civilian justice system,” said Otero.
One week later, PREP student Daniel Hentschel joined Janelly Crespo, Dalisi Otero, and Gina Villar to present at the Coral Gables Bar Association luncheon meeting at Seasons 52 on Miracle Mile. The students facilitated a lively conversation and debate among the attorneys about the new Florida advertising guidelines as well as the cutting-edge use of social media as evidence and the use of social media during jury selection.
“Presenting in both the NSAC symposium and the Coral Gables Bar Association was an enlightening experience,” said Crespo. “It was interesting to see the different issues that arise regarding Military Law and Civilian Law and how many of the Ethical Rules are still implicated in Military Law.”
“Coral Gables was an amazing opportunity to speak to number of well-established legal professionals while at the same time educating them about the emerging ethical issues that arise in advertising,” said Hentschel. “I was impressed at the amount of feedback we received as well as at the amount of participation during the presentation. Advertising is a really hot topic among lawyers and being able to hear their personal opinions, which varied a whole lot, was truly great.”
“Speaking with the attorneys regarding hot topics in the legal profession was intriguing. It was great to discuss various ethical issues with attorneys to receive some practical knowledge and how attorneys use social media in their practice,” said Villar.
PREP is an award-winning program, which develops continuing legal education (CLE) ethics training for the legal community. The program combines the attributes of an ethics institute and an ethics clinic, and has dedicated hundreds of student hours to public service and has educated thousands of members of the Bench & Bar. In 2012, PREP was recognized by the ABA with its E. Smythe Gambrell Professionalism Award —the leading national award recognizing programs and projects contributing to the understanding and advancement of professionalism among lawyers and judges. In addition to presenting ethics trainings, throughout the semester PREP students publish blog posts regarding the nation’s newest ethics opinions. The blog, Legal Ethics in Motion, can be found here.
