Calling Law a 'Profession' Only Confuses Thinking about the Challenges Lawyers Face

35 Pages Posted: 18 Feb 2012

See all articles by Thomas D. Morgan

Thomas D. Morgan

George Washington University Law School

Date Written: February 17, 2012

Abstract

It is appropriate to want lawyers to be mature, moral people and to help legal education reinforce those qualities. It is also appropriate to be sure students understand lawyers’ fiduciary responsibilities and the ways lawyers fall short of meeting them. It only confuses work on those issues, however, to call them part of teaching "professionalism." Law is not a "profession" as that term has traditionally been used. Calling law a profession does not help understanding the challenges lawyers face.

Keywords: professionalism, collaborative law, pro bono service, technology, legal education

JEL Classification: K19, K29, K39, K49

Suggested Citation

Morgan, Thomas D., Calling Law a 'Profession' Only Confuses Thinking about the Challenges Lawyers Face (February 17, 2012). University of St. Thomas Law Journal, Forthcoming, GWU Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2012-11, GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 2012-11, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2007296

Thomas D. Morgan (Contact Author)

George Washington University Law School ( email )

2000 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052
United States

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