CHAL 31 |
| The Model Rules of Professional Conduct, or similar ethics rules, govern the way attorneys practice law. An attorney has a duty to his or her client, to the court, and to the public. Sometimes these requirements are in conflict. In toxic tort litigation, these rules may become even more complex because of the difficulties inherent at the interface between science and legal proceedings. These complexities are further exacerbated by the perception of the public of lawyers, and the lack of scientific knowledge of that same public. Lawyers often do not understand the science, and scientists often are not accustomed to the stark reality that a judge or a jury decision brings. In some cases, the science supporting one side or the other is at best speculative and at worst - wrong. Dilemmas arise for both scientific experts and the attorneys litigating the case. |
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Ethics Overview: Inequitable Conduct and Conflicts of Interest Issues in Intellectual Property
1:30 PM-5:05 PM, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 BCEC -- 257B, Oral
Division of Chemistry & the Law |