By Rachel Konieczny
Photo Editor
The Center for Law and Society is offering a Legal Ethics Speaker Series to interested prelaw students through the month of April.
Steven Nuttall, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, said he opened the speaker series to those beyond his legal ethics course so that interested students can better understand the practice of law prior to enrolling in law school.
“I think it is important for prelaw students to have a realistic idea about what the practice of law is like before committing three years of their lives to the very demanding and expensive pursuit of a law degree,” Nuttall said.
The Legal Ethics Speaker Series continues today at 1:30 p.m. in the Center for Law and Society room in Plassmann Hall 205A.
Nuttall said the speaker series might help students understand abstract potential ethical issues.
“It helps ‘bring things down to earth’ to have actual attorneys talk about the types of ethical issues that they actually face,” Nuttall said.
Mary Katherine Hoag, a senior international studies major and student in the legal ethics course, said the presentations have helped her learn the importance of approaching law school with an open mind.
She said she hopes the speaker series will explore more about ethical issues attorneys face.
“I love listening to case specific experience,” Hoag said. “[Speakers Judge Moses Howden and Jeffrey Black] shared circumstances they faced during their professional careers and how they handled these situations from an ethical perspective.”
Nuttall said he hopes students are able to take away several points from the presentations.
“I hope students will come away from these presentations with an understanding of the practice of law that differs from what you get from watching law-related TV dramas,” Nuttall said. “I also hope they come to appreciate that there are many things one can do with a law degree. Not only are there many different practice areas of law to choose from, but there are also many non-legal career opportunities that are enhanced by having a law degree.”
Nuttall said he hopes students “come away with a better understanding of the types of ethical issues that they may face if they choose a career in law.”
“I hope students will see that, contrary to some of the stereotypes about lawyers, it is possible to be a good lawyer and a decent human being,” Nuttall added.
Hoag said the speaker series helped confirm her interest in law.
“I am excited I’ve had the opportunity to talk to practicing attorneys and judges,” Hoag said. “After listening to these speakers, I am positive law school is the path for me.”
konierc14@bonaventure.edu
