Miami Law’s and St. Thomas Law School’s Maritime Law Societies assisted in organizing the event, which was held at St. Thomas Law School. The goal was to provide students interested in maritime law with another opportunity to learn about emerging legal and ethical issues, while being able to meet practicing maritime attorneys.
Led by Director Jan L. Jacobowitz, PREP students Danielle T. Gauer and Sarah J. Bujold discussed ethical dilemmas that attorneys may encounter in the practice of maritime law, especially when social media is involved. They presented hypothetical fact scenarios, which prompted the attorneys to engage in a dynamic discussion about the duty of confidentiality in an online context, the critique of judges on social media, and the proper advice to clients about social media evidence.
“The attorneys were very engaged and kept us on our toes,” said Bujold. “The presentation was well-received and we appreciated the hospitality from St Thomas University MLS.”
“As a PREP Intern and the President of the Miami Law’s Maritime Law Society, it was great to be invited to speak alongside some of the most talented attorneys in the maritime law arena,” said Gauer.
PREP develops customized CLE ethics trainings, providing an opportunity for students to explore diverse areas of the law and interact with attorneys practicing in those areas regarding the ethical challenges that confront today’s legal profession. 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 and cases. The blog, Legal Ethics in Motion, can be found here.
