My Status as a Legal Ethicist
Thou Shalt Not Kill
Thou Shalt Not Lie
Legal Marketing (and other myths)
Nicknames
Super Lawyers
Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
Thou Shalt Not Discriminate
Thou Shalt Know Thy Stuff
MCLA (Mandatory Continuing Legal Attendance)
Over-Worked Lawyers
The Crackberry
Crazy Clients (as if there are any other kind)
Thou Shalt Uphold the Dignity of the Profession

Far too often, legal ethics seminars are filled with convoluted hypos that demonstrate conflicts of interests and ethical dilemmas that will never occur in a world that has, say, gravity, centrifugal force or Oprah Winfrey Yet, the truth of the matter is that legal ethics really isn't that complicated. There are very basic things that lawyers must do (and not do) to avoid disciplinary problems. In this presentation, Mr. Carter delivers a "sermon" on the Ten Commandments of Avoiding Ethical Problems as a Lawyer.

I. Thou Shalt Not Kill
II. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness
III. Thou Shalt Not Steal
IV. Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery
V. Thou Shalt Not Discriminate
VI. Thou Shalt Not Gossip
VII. Thou Shalt Know Thy Stuff
VIII. Thou Shalt Just Do It
IX. Thou Shalt Call Thy Client Backeth
X. Thou Shalt Not Lose Thy Mind

“In 36 years of practice, far and away the best program ever on professional ethics.”

“Sean Carter is an excellent speaker.  He clearly conveys ethics theory and practice in combination with interesting and funny general life situations.”

"The Chris Rock of legal ethics!"

In an increasingly crowded legal marketplace, lawyers are discovering that effecting legal marketing is essential to a thriving practice. Yet, in the practitioner's zeal to effectively promote his services, he must remember that lawyers must abide by a code of conduct far more stringent than that imposed upon the typical marketer -- none. In this fast-paced presentation, Mr. Carter explores the dos (and mostly, don'ts) of marketing under the code of legal ethics. Mr. Carter will:

• Show the best (and worst) of televised lawyer ads
• Discuss the current debate surrounding "Best Lawyer" and "Super Lawyer" status
• Examine the ethical implications of using seminars, columns and blogs as marketing tools

A man who died was supposed to go to Heaven, but ended up in Hell. So, God called Satan, protesting to have that man returned to Heaven where he belonged. When Satan rejected the request, God said he would go to court to get the man back, to which Satan replied, "Where are you going to get a lawyer? They are all down here!"

The above joke is one of just thousands of lawyer jokes told each day. In fact, bashing lawyers is quickly becoming America's favorite pastime. But why? Is it because the typical layperson is jealous of our intellects, incomes and good looks. Mr. Carter suggests that while this may be true in his case, there may be other factors at work as well. In this presentation, Mr. Carter explores the topic of lawyer jokes, whether they have any basis in fact and what they say about our adherence to the rules of professional conduct.

"Made ethics fun instead of boring recitation of professional conduct rules."