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Courses/Ethics & Professional Responsibility/Legal Ethics

Justice is Gray, Ethics is Black & White

Navigating the murky intersection of legal codes, moral duties, and professional reality.

Created byNYS Academy of Trial Lawyers
BeginnerUpdated Oct 7, 2026
Justice is Gray, Ethics is Black & White

What You'll Learn

check_circleDistinguish between formal ethical codes and personal moral judgment
check_circleApply professional conduct rules to real-world scenarios involving conflicts of interest
check_circleAnalyze the legal and ethical implications of the duty to rescue
check_circleEvaluate the impact of artificial intelligence on legal billing and research standards

About This Course

Justice and morality may live in the gray, but the Rules of Professional Conduct are anything but. This program uses real-world scenarios to show how easily attorneys—new or seasoned—can stumble into ethical pitfalls. Learn why "better to ask forgiveness than permission" doesn't cut it in the practice of law, and how to keep your license safe while navigating tricky professional dilemmas.

The course examines the distinction between formal legal codes and personal ethical behavior within the legal profession. It explores the practical challenges attorneys face when balancing client interests, statutory requirements, and personal moral obligations in scenarios ranging from estate planning to real estate transactions.

The content addresses the complexities of professional conduct, the limits of the duty to rescue, and the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence in legal practice. By analyzing hypothetical and historical cases, the material highlights the tension between rigid legal rules and the nuanced, often gray, reality of legal work.

Topics Covered:

  • Legal codes versus personal ethics
  • Conflicts of interest in academia
  • Statutory duties in lost property cases
  • Duty to rescue in legal scenarios
  • Ethical risks in estate planning
  • Professional conduct in real estate
  • Artificial intelligence and billing practices
  • Professional responsibility and malpractice

Your Instructors

NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers
NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers
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The NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers is the largest statewide trial bar in the US with 5,700+ lawyer and judge members. We are committed to protecting, preserving and enhancing the civil justice system. Our highly acclaimed CLE programming features extraordinary presenters covering the most timely and important topics.

Joseph  Zavaglia, Jr., Esq.
Joseph Zavaglia, Jr., Esq.

Attorney at Lomurro Law

Currently at Lomurro Law, for the past thirty years, Joe's practice has concentrated on Corporate and Transactional matters with an emphasis on Real Estate Sales and Financing, both commercial and residential. Joe also has extensive college teaching experience and is a former law school professor and Assistant to the Director of Academic Support at Seton Hall Law School. He is currently a tenured, full professor and Department Chair for Legal Studies, Business, and Business Technology at Brookdale Community College, as well as an adjunct faculty member in the Legal Studies Department at Temple University and Villanova University. Joe has also authored and edited reference works and textbooks for West Publishing and McGraw-Hill and was the featured subject in a national award-winning video on teaching law.

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We are a registered provider with 327+ associations and regulatory bodies worldwide. We operate across 29 global markets including Canada, the US, Australia, and the UK. Every course page clearly displays its specific accreditations. Upon completion, you receive a professional certificate that can be validated online. Our certificates include all necessary accreditation details, credit hours, and completion dates, and are formatted specifically to meet the submission requirements of most global regulatory bodies.

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