legal ethics
Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:08 pm
Thanks for the advice ya'll.
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https://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=219343
Find your state's ethics hotline on this website: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/profe ... erest.htmlAnonymous User wrote:So, I'm a newbie associate at a private firm. I just found out the other day that a couple of associates (that I know of right now) have been using student Westlaw/Lexis accounts for research at the firm. A huge red flag went up in my head. It seemed pretty clear to me that they didn't really see that there was anything wrong with this practice, but I certainly do. I spoke to the partner of the firm, and mentioned that using student accounts was unethical and he sort of looked at me like he didn't realize this was unethical (which I just didn't buy at all). I was told the firm does have its own account, and I received it today from a senior associate I've been working closely with, but the username has the senior associate's name in it--I'm assuming he signed the firm up with an account and everyone just uses his account?? I haven't a clue how this works since I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. I'm thinking about contacting Westlaw and just inquiring about my firm's plan so I can stay within it when I do research. Good idea? Bad idea? I'm just hoping this might alleviate some stress knowing I'm using the right account.
I haven't done any research using a student's unlimited account and luckily the type of cases we deal with doesn't require a whole lot of research, but I will definitely need to do some at some point. I obviously will be strictly using the firm's account, but what about the other associates at my firm? Should I mention to them that what they are doing is unethical? I'm terrified. I mentioned it to another junior associate who started the week before and he seemed to agree with me that using student accounts was unethical.
I'm honestly losing sleep over this because I don't want to get caught up in any of this by simply being associated with the firm. Help!
+1. Leave your gunnerisms at law schoolAnonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
ya ethics committees give a lot of weight to the "everyone else was doing it" excuse.Anonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
This is at a firms, not a government office with an unlimited WestLaw plan or a public interest clinic with a deal through the funding host university. It's theft -- thousands and thousands of dollars of services going unpaid.Anonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
That doesn't make it less common.Tanicius wrote:This is at a firms, not a government office with an unlimited WestLaw plan or a public interest clinic with a deal through the funding host university. It's theft -- thousands and thousands of dollars of services going unpaid.Anonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
They aren't making money off their litigation or research, and they already have plans that give them unlimited access anyway. They are costing WestLaw literally nothing extra by not policing whether the students/attorneys use student accounts instead of the official account.daryldixon wrote: And the first two you listed are just as illegal as the last. Moral justifications don't make it any better.
That's what I love about these law school students, man. I get older, they keep their student accounts.A. Nony Mouse wrote:If the people using student accounts are associates, and therefore have graduated, their access to student accounts will die pretty soon.
But they are violating the terms and conditions! Guillotine those socialist libtard bastards.Tanicius wrote:They aren't making money off their litigation or research, and they already have plans that give them unlimited access anyway. They are costing WestLaw literally nothing extra by not policing whether the students/attorneys use student accounts instead of the official account.daryldixon wrote: And the first two you listed are just as illegal as the last. Moral justifications don't make it any better.
You're actually wrong about that, Lexis/WL expressly allow students to use their accounts for government or PI employers, and expressly disallow it for private employers.daryldixon wrote:That doesn't make it less common.Tanicius wrote:This is at a firms, not a government office with an unlimited WestLaw plan or a public interest clinic with a deal through the funding host university. It's theft -- thousands and thousands of dollars of services going unpaid.Anonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
And the first two you listed are just as illegal as the last. Moral justifications don't make it any better.
So very, very common. Not saying it's right. Just saying, it happens. A lot.Anonymous User wrote:This is very common practice.
Yeah this is my thinking. Maybe not a huge deal if WL just builds into the service and assumes an extra 6 months or so for students. OTOH, could be a felony. Seconding people who say it should be reported.A. Nony Mouse wrote:If the people using student accounts are associates, and therefore have graduated, their access to student accounts will die pretty soon.
Far, far too unappreciated.BigRob wrote:That's what I love about these law school students, man. I get older, they keep their student accounts.A. Nony Mouse wrote:If the people using student accounts are associates, and therefore have graduated, their access to student accounts will die pretty soon.
+1,000. OmG. I would fire you immediately. Clearly this is your first job. Just shutup and do your job and stop worrying about this. This is not a big deal. But you are making it a big deal. There are battels that you fight and there are battles that you don't. THIS IS NOT WORTH MAKING YOU LOOK LIKE AN A$$ WHEN YOU ARE NEW AND HAVE NO CLOUT IN THE FIRM. WOW.Danger Zone wrote:LOL at reporting this
Just do your job plebe
sparty99 wrote:+1,000. OmG. I would fire you immediately. Clearly this is your first job. Just shutup and do your job and stop worrying about this. This is not a big deal. But you are making it a big deal. There are battels that you fight and there are battles that you don't. THIS IS NOT WORTH MAKING YOU LOOK LIKE AN A$$ WHEN YOU ARE NEW AND HAVE NO CLOUT IN THE FIRM. WOW.Danger Zone wrote:LOL at reporting this
Just do your job plebe
this. this, if not flame, struck me as the most tone deaf, ridiculous OP of all human history.Danger Zone wrote:LOL at reporting this
Just do your job plebe
OP, calm the fuck down. Maybe you should report it, maybe not. But your way of explaining it sounds like you are talking about human trafficking or something serious. I'm curious, OP, where would you put this on a scale between getting 4 nuggets in a 5-piece and Jerry Sandusky?Anonymous User wrote:So, I'm a newbie associate at a private firm. I just found out the other day that a couple of associates (that I know of right now) have been using student Westlaw/Lexis accounts for research at the firm. A huge red flag went up in my head. It seemed pretty clear to me that they didn't really see that there was anything wrong with this practice, but I certainly do. I spoke to the partner of the firm, and mentioned that using student accounts was unethical and he sort of looked at me like he didn't realize this was unethical (which I just didn't buy at all). I was told the firm does have its own account, and I received it today from a senior associate I've been working closely with, but the username has the senior associate's name in it--I'm assuming he signed the firm up with an account and everyone just uses his account?? I haven't a clue how this works since I'm flying by the seat of my pants here. I'm thinking about contacting Westlaw and just inquiring about my firm's plan so I can stay within it when I do research. Good idea? Bad idea? I'm just hoping this might alleviate some stress knowing I'm using the right account.
I haven't done any research using a student's unlimited account and luckily the type of cases we deal with doesn't require a whole lot of research, but I will definitely need to do some at some point. I obviously will be strictly using the firm's account, but what about the other associates at my firm? Should I mention to them that what they are doing is unethical? I'm terrified. I mentioned it to another junior associate who started the week before and he seemed to agree with me that using student accounts was unethical.
I'm honestly losing sleep over this because I don't want to get caught up in any of this by simply being associated with the firm. Help!
