LAW456
Professionalism and Ethics
(Sestito)
Prerequisite courses:
Prerequisite for:
Instructor(s): Michael Sestito
Course credit: 3
Method of presentation: Lecture/seminar
Teamwork: No
Learning Management System:
METHOD OF EVALUATION
Final Written Paper: Students will submit a written paper worth 60% of the final grade. Topics are not pre-selected but must be approved by the instructor. The paper should interrogate an issue touching on the subject matter covered in the course and provide students with an opportunity to think critically about the material.
Class Participation: The course will discuss and debate major issues facing the profession. Accordingly, class participation is a fundamental part of the course and accounts for 20% of the final grade. The participation grade encourages students to attend and engage in class discussion. Alternate arrangements can be made with the instructor and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Short Assignment: Students will take on the role of the firm’s “general counsel” and provide written advice to a fictional colleague on a fictional fact scenario. Students will be expected to reference the applicable sections of the Code of Conduct in providing the advice. This email assignment is worth 20% of the final grade and will enable students to exercise and develop practical legal communication skills.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Professionalism and ethics sit at the heart of every lawyer’s practice. From court to client communication to interactions with colleagues and the public, a lawyer’s fundamental obligation to professionalism and ethics is continuous.
This class will cover a variety of topics relating to professionalism and ethics and will include examining:
· the regulatory and statutory context of professionalism in the legal profession;
· the lawyer-client relationship;
· the role of the lawyer in advocacy;
· the importance of competency and continuing education;
· issues concerning billing;
· the duty of confidentiality;
· relationship to the profession and the public;
· professional discipline; and,
· access to justice.
The course will blend academic examination with practical examples of how the subject matter affects the real world. We will draw on a selection of guest lecturers from across the practice (including in-house counsel, practitioners, and members of the judiciary) to provide a broad cross-section of professionalism and ethics in practice.
SPECIAL COMMENTS
Description updated 2026-27. Please contact the instructor for any specific questions you may have related to this particular course section.
REQUIRED TEXTS (IF ANY)
Lawyers Ethics and Professional Regulation (Toronto: LexisNexis) (previous versions acceptable)
Law Society of Alberta, Code of Conduct (available online here)
The instructor reserves the right to supplement with a reasonable selection of cases and articles)