Civility

The consequence of imposing civility rules could hamper an attorney’s representation of a client facing debt collection, eviction, or deportation.

If civility will play a bigger role in litigation, there should be some definitions on what constitutes uncivil behavior.

What is gained by being offensive?

Why do calls for civility fall on deaf ears?

Practicing law is definitely not a bowl of cherries, but it certainly isn’t simply a bowl of dicks.

Even though we are representing different parties and opposing interests, we are all lawyers. We are the only ones who can change the way we treat one another.

We, as professionals, can do better.

It is no coincidence that the same figures who seek to enact gratuitously cruel policies or deny fundamental liberties are always the ones opining about a loss of 'civility.'

In the future, will civility even matter or will it be just a vestige of an earlier time and place?

Funny how civility only comes up when someone who is privileged suffers just once what others suffer every damn day.

Our profession must return to the civility society expects us to exemplify.

'For every conversation you have, start out with respect.'

Rudeness, nasty emails and faxes (does anyone fax anymore?), snarky texts, whatever the written medium, society has lost its manners.

How did our profession become so nasty and uncivil in so many fundamental ways?

Whether you and he were kindred spirits or polar opposites, there will be more than enough time to use Justice Scalia's death for political reasons.

What is some of the worst behavior you've witnesses by attorneys?

The sad state of civility in the legal profession.

Remember, as lawyers, your most valuable asset is your reputation. Do you want to be known in your community as an unethical, unnecessarily aggressive jerk who is always difficult to work with?

How do you recognize when you're crossing the civility line or engaging in jerk-like behavior?

* So, this happened over the weekend: Anonymous hacked the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s website and is threatening to release government secrets about the DOJ (and possibly all nine of our Supreme Court justices) unless the legal system is reformed. [CNET]

* A spoonful of sugar makes the lawyering go down? Apparently the best way to remind lawyers that they need to act civilly is through song. Or through Above the Law posts, but we aren’t in the habit of hosting sing-a-longs like the New York Inn of Court did. [Wall Street Journal]

* “[U]nless there are major changes in the legal industry,” law school administrators shouldn’t expect people to apply in droves, especially when they’re now fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. [National Law Journal]

* Arizona’s Supreme Court will allow people to take the bar exam after two years of study, but come on, the justices don’t want to jump the shark by allowing online law grads take the test, too. [East Valley Tribune]

* Tim Tebow got to trademark Tebowing, so why shouldn’t Colin Kaepernick get to trademark Kaepernicking? All the San Francisco 49ers quarterback wants to do is sell some inevitably overpriced t-shirts. [NBC Bay Area]

* An appeals court threw out two of Casey Anthony’s convictions, but her legal drama is far from over. The ex-MILF filed for bankruptcy to escape nearly $1 million in liabilities, including Jose Baez’s legal fees. [CNN]