Product Description

Online Session Only
Due to the ongoing public health crisis, this session will be held online via Zoom. Register for the in-person session, as usual. You will receive an email invitation with login information and instructions for the virtual session as the program date approaches. Attendance requirements remain in effect for the online session and will be enforced.

Completion of your Rule 3:16 requirement—and much more

Observance of the highest ethical standards, proficiency in essential elements of law practice, civility, and engagement in the legal community are among the hallmarks of professionalism. MCLE’s dynamic Practicing with Professionalism faculty bring these principles to life.

SJC Rule 3:16 requires all newly admitted lawyers in Massachusetts to complete a mandatory professionalism course within 18 months of admission. Spend the morning with MCLE and build a foundation in  professionalism that will serve you throughout your career—and life.

Resource materials

A major advantage of taking the Practicing with Professionalism course at MCLE is the rich compilation of resource materials—provided in electronic format—over 1,000 pages of original articles from existing MCLE publications, and materials from a number of regulatory agencies and professional organizations.

These materials serve not only as a valuable online companion for the course, but also as a continuing resource for research and reference in daily practice.

Attendance Policy

Attendance at this program, per SJC Rule 3:16, is a post-admission requirement. Only those already admitted to the Massachusetts bar will receive credit for the course; anyone not yet admitted to the bar will have to retake the course after admission.

Attendance at the entire program is required. Registrants who join online after the course has commenced will not be credited as having attend the day's program, but must register for another course date.

Agenda & Materials

• 9:00am - 9:05am

  Law as a Profession: the Relevance and Importance of the Practicing with Professionalism Requirement

  A member of the SJC’s Standing Committee on Professionalism emphasizes the value of this course, and identifies attributes and the importance of professionalism in the practice of law, while also highlighting the historical significance of Massachusetts lawyers in upholding the rule of law.
• 9:05am - 9:45am

  Professionalism in Developing, Managing, and Maintaining Relationships—And in Problem Solving

  Your reputation takes years to build—start off right today: Civility in attorney-client relationships, attorney-to-attorney interactions, relationships with colleagues (including non-attorney staff), and communication with court and government agency personnel must all be respectful and rooted in ethical principles. How to artfully balance the tension between zealous advocacy and the duty to conduct oneself civilly at all times, and how to diffuse difficult personalities.

  Jacquelynne J. Bowman, Esq., Greater Boston Legal Services , Boston
  Kathleen M. O'Donnell, Esq., Law Office of Kathleen M. O'Donnell , Milton
  
• 9:45am - 10:40am

  Connecting with the Legal Community

  Building your skills, reputation, and network through pro bono work, continuing legal education, and engagement with bar associations.
• 10:40am - 11:20am

  Challenges and Opportunities of New Technology and Social Media

  Maximize the benefits of technology and social media in your practice and marketing, with civility, while steering clear of potential ethical traps and pitfalls.

  Sankeetha Selvarajah, Esq., Selvarajah Law P.C. , Boston
  
• 11:20am - 11:35am

  Networking and Refreshment Break
• 11:35am - 12:20pm

  Implicit Bias, the Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession, and Promoting Access to Justice

  Impact implicit biases have on the practice of law, including on attorney interactions, client representation, court access, and jury selection. What can lawyers do to address this problem and promote diversity within, and equal service from, the legal profession?

  Stacey A.L. Best, Esq., Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc. , Boston
  Laura Keeler, Mass LOMAP , Boston
  
• 12:20pm - 1:05pm

  Tools and Resources for Maintaining Your Professional and Personal Well-Being: A Better Practice and a Better You

  Amanda E. Muros-Bishoff, Esq., Office of Bar Counsel, Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers , Boston
  Dr. Jeff Fortgang, Ph.D, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Inc. , Boston
  
• 1:05pm - 1:15pm

  "Ask the Experts" Q&A Session and Key Takeaways

  Be proud to be a lawyer, and develop the great one inside you!

  Kathleen M. O'Donnell, Esq., Law Office of Kathleen M. O'Donnell , Milton
  

Please Note

MCLE webcasts are delivered completely online, underscoring their convenience and appeal. There are no published print materials. All written materials are available electronically only. They are posted 24 hours prior to the program and can be accessed, downloaded, or printed from your computer.

Chair

Faculty