Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Professional Ethics
Other languages of instruction: Catalan,
Teaching staff
Reyes Alcón: ralcon@uic.es
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. In all cases an email should be sent in advance to arrange an appointment.
Introduction
The knowledge and proper management of ethical standards are essential for lawyers in the practice of their profession. It constitutes an ethical code that governs the way lawyers conduct themselves in their everyday work and in the relationships they establish with clients, adversaries, other colleagues and with collegial, judicial and other institutions.
Pre-course requirements
None required. The necessary regulatory and theoretical elements are contained in the attached materials, in the recommended bibliography and will also be communicated in the classroom.
Objectives
To know and master regulatory requirements applied to specific, real cases, whilst also focusing this learning on successfully passing the State exam.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CA04 - Know the different techniques for reconciling conflicting interests and how to find solutions to problems through methods other than the jurisdictional route.
- CA05 - Know and be able to apply professional ethical rights and duties in the lawyer’s dealings with clients, third parties, courts, public authorities and other lawyers.
- CA06 - - Know and assess the different responsibilities associated with professional practice, including the basic principles of offering free legal assistance and promoting the social responsibilities of the lawyer.
- CA07 - Know how to identify conflicts of interest and know the techniques used to resolve them, establishing the scope of professional confidentiality and upholding independent judgement criteria.
- CA08 - Know how to identify the key requirements for the provision and organisation of legal consultancy.
- CA09 - Know and be able to apply in practice the organisational, management and commercial aspects of the legal profession, as well as company, tax and employment law and legislation on the protection of personal data.
- CA10 - Develop skills and abilities to choose the correct strategy for defending the rights of clients, taking into account the demands of the different areas of professional practice.
- CB07 - Know how to apply acquired knowledge and problem-solving abilities in new or little-known surroundings within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their field of study.
- CB08 - Know how to incorporate acquired knowledge and deal with making complex judgements based on information which, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on social and ethical responsibilities linked to how they apply their knowledge and judgements.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Students will learn how to:
- Master the legal framework in which the law is developed, including ethical and collegial issues.
- Recognise the main obligations lawyers have towards their clients, companions and jurisdictional organs or institutions.
Syllabus
Professional ethics of the legal profession.
Rights and duties of lawyers.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The University Master's Degree in Advocacy bases its methodology on the “case method” which consists in studying the real-life scenarios and problems that law firms deal with. Students prepare and analyse cases, identify issues and, once in class together with the teacher, either individually or in groups, look for solutions and share the possible alternatives available. Our intention with the case method is to help students acquire the main skills of a good legal professional such as logical reasoning, ease of oral expression and language proficiency, among others.
The module on Professional Deontology consists of 3 ECTS of which 30 hours are teaching and then a minimum of 40 hours work by each student on which they will be assessed.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The evaluation consists of two parameters:
• Participation in class: Accounts for 60% of the final mark.
• Written examination consisting of a test and a case study: The average mark of both elements will account for 40% of the final mark.
Bibliography and resources
The basic requirement is to have copies of the current legislation. Students will be provided with a complete bibliographic review, part of which can be found in the UIC Barcelona library. Students will also have access to past papers of the Deontology state exam up to the most recent one.