Course Description
The course will introduce students to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct and the New York Rules of Professional Conduct within the context of social justice lawyering to prepare students for admission to the bar and the ethical practice of law. Students will explore the ethical complexities that exist in the practice of law, especially those raised when representing clients who may be marginalized by our society or when engaging in social change litigation. Foundational concepts of professionalism, professional judgment, and the effective and ethical practice of law will be examined using a variety of formats including case law, client narratives, and simulations. Professional Responsibility is required for any student seeking admission to the New York bar. It may also be helpful in preparing for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).
Instructor
Franklin Siegel
Franklin Siegel is a Distinguished Lecturer at CUNY School of Law, teaching constitutional law, civil rights litigation, professional responsibility, and federal courts. He co-teaches Government Misconduct and leads a summer course supporting public interest internships.
A civil rights attorney with decades of experience, Siegel is co-counsel in Handschu v. Special Services Division, a case regulating NYPD surveillance of political protest. He served as Director of the Part-Time Evening Program from 2016 to 2023.
Siegel has litigated major cases involving international asset recovery, First Amendment rights, disability access under the ADA, and constitutional limits on presidential war powers. He’s held leadership roles with the Center for Constitutional Rights and the National Lawyers Guild.
He holds degrees from NYU, the New School, Brooklyn Law School, and Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.