Ethical decision making in community legal centres

What do ethics mean to me as a lawyer/worker in a CLC? Description of models of ethics Group discussion of using the 4 models of ethical decision making of Evans/Parker.

Situating legal ethics within broader ethics Social ethics There are personal ethics but social ethics come from general moral theory or ethical theory- philosophical work devoted to understanding what it means for something to be good or rights or a duty. Ideas about justice, social and environmental responsibility, minimising harm and respecting others. Rule based OR consequence based ethical frameworks (these are generally individual based systems of ethical reasoning).

Ethics of care focusses on people’s responsibilities to maintain relationships and communities. Virtue ethics: shifts the focus from particular conduct and its impact onto the character of the person. Key question :” what kind of person should I be in order to be a good person?” values of generosity, justice, honesty about oneself. The need for ongoing personal reflection and our virtues (or lack of them).

Law of lawyering Professional conduct approach may cater to the need for certainty, predictability and enforceability in a context where people often consider ethics to be subjective and relative. It abandons ethical judgement for rules.(Parker and Evans 2014)

A new model? Adversarial advocate Responsible lawyer Moral activist Ethics of care