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Model Rule Mashups
100
In this video clip of How to Get Away with Murder, what Rule is Opposing Counsel violating?
What is Rule 3.8(d)?
100
In 2023, a New York personal injury attorney submitted a legal brief opposing a motion to dismiss. The judge discovered that the lawyer had used an AI chatbot to write the brief, resulting in the submission of six entirely fabricated judicial opinions and bogus legal citations, violating his duty not to make false statements of law to the court. What Rule did the lawyer violate?
What is Rules 3.3 & 1.1?
100
When defending a disqualification motion after a conflicted lawyer departs, the former firm can completely concede that the new lawsuit is 'substantially related' to the old one, but still win the motion by proving this negative about the lawyers who stayed.
What is Rule 1.10(b)(1)-(2), that none of them possess material confidential information?
100
Attorney Adams is jointly defending a corporation and its CFO in a lawsuit where their interests materially limit one another. Adams drafts a flawless Rule 1.7 conflict waiver, but it is legally void if the CFO performs this specific administrative act on behalf of the company.
What is Rules 1.13 and 1.7(b), informed consent by both clients, and the requirement for an organizational client to sign corporate consent?
200
In this movie clip from the movie Justice for All, what Rule(s) is Al Pacino violating?
What is Rules 3.5(d), 1.3 & 3.1?
200
In 2006, a North Carolina District Attorney gave over 50 television and print interviews, aggressively declaring the guilt of three university athletes accused of assault. He was eventually disbarred after it was determined these inflammatory public statements destroyed the presumption of innocence long before the fabricated charges were dropped. What Rule did the Attorney violate?
What is Rule 3.6(a)?
200
Attorney Adams avoids discipline when she advises a client to violate a yard sign ban to trigger a First Amendment lawsuit, because her advice falls under this specific 'good faith' safe harbor.
What is Rule 1.2(d), a good faith effort to determine the validity, scope, meaning, or application of the law?
200
Attorney Miller agrees to handle a startup’s complex litigation in exchange for a 5% equity stake in the company. Even if 5% perfectly aligns with Miller's experience and the customary local rates for such difficult work, she faces discipline if she fails to provide the founder with a written advisory to seek this.
What is Rules 1.5(a) and 1.8(a), seeking independent legal counsel for entering into a business agreement with a client to satisfy an attorney's fee?
300
In this clip of Better Call Saul, the lawyer, Jimmy, is attempting to locate an audio recording of himself discussing information that is unfavorable to him. What Rule is the lawyer violating?
What is Rules 3.4 & 8.4(a)-(d)?
300
In a massive 2007 patent lawsuit between two microchip manufacturing giants, six attorneys from the prevailing company were heavily sanctioned by a federal judge. It was discovered they had intentionally hidden over 46,000 highly relevant emails and documents during the discovery process to secure a victory. What Rule did the lawyer violate?
What is What is Rules 3.4(a) & (d)?
300
The judge issues an order staying all depositions for 90 days to allow for mandatory mediation. Because the ultimate trial date remains exactly the same, the attorney decides not to bother her client with the update. She faces discipline because the rule explicitly categorizes this kind of interim pause as this specific type of event.
What is Rule 1.4, a significant development affecting the timing of the matter?
300
Attorney Jones arrives at a new firm carrying material confidential information about an adversary. To prevent Jones's personal conflict from infecting the whole firm, the partners do not actually need to secure the former client's written consent, provided they build a strict ethical screen and unilaterally send this instead.
What is Rules 1.9(b) and 1.10(a)(2), written notice of the screening procedures and certificate of compliance?
400
In this clip of Boston Legal, what Rule is the lawyer violating?
What is Rules 3.3(a)(1) & 3.4(e)?
400
Immediately following a catastrophic 2010 oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, the responsible corporation's legal and claims representatives aggressively approached traumatized local fishermen. They offered quick $5,000 cash payouts if the workers immediately signed complex legal waivers, failing to clarify their highly adversarial legal role or the fact that signing meant the unrepresented locals could never sue the company again. What Rule did the lawyer violate?
What is Rule 4.3?
400
Attorney Miller wants a 25% cut of a final settlement just for introducing the client to a trial specialist. Because Miller refuses to assume 'joint responsibility' for the case, he is ethically barred from taking the money unless he actually does this.
What is Rule 1.5, perform 25% of the work?
400
In a minor contract dispute, Attorney Barnes serves a non-party witness with a subpoena demanding 50,000 pages of irrelevant, unindexed financial records, hoping the sheer cost of compliance will scare the witness out of testifying. Barnes is subject to discipline for a frivolous discovery request because the subpoena lacked this specific redeeming quality regarding the witness.
What are Rules 3.4(d) & 4.4(a), being nonfrivolous and having a substantial purpose other than to delay or burden a third person?
500
In this clip of The Good Wife, what Rule was the lawyer representing the defendant violating?
What is Rules 4.1(a), 1.2(d) & 8.4(c)?
500
During a personal injury lawsuit, two defense attorneys directed their paralegal to send a Facebook "friend request" to the plaintiff to gain access to his private photos and posts. The state Supreme Court disciplined the lawyers, ruling that using a proxy to digitally "friend" someone who is actively represented by counsel directly violated the "no-contact" rule. What Rule did the lawyer violate?
What is Rule 4.2?
500
A lawyer learns that her corporate client accidentally released a slow-acting, lethal toxin into a municipal water supply. Despite knowing that speaking up would save hundreds of lives, the lawyer chooses to keep the secret and faces absolutely no discipline under the Model Rules because the life-saving exception is strictly limited to this.
What is Rule 1.6(b)(1), a lawyer’s ability to disclose information to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm, non-mandatory?
500
While a criminal defense lawyer can ethically defend a guilty client by aggressively cross-examining witnesses to ensure the state establishes every element of the offense, the lawyer cannot attempt to derail the investigation by telling an eyewitness that the police already arrested someone else, because the rules explicitly forbid this."
What is Rules 3.1 and 4.1, making a false statement of material fact to a third person and representing a defendant in a criminal proceeding?