Philip Bogdanoff
Attorney & Instructor

Ethical conduct is a key to being an effective attorney. Each week we read about disciplinary cases where attorneys are suspended for misconduct involving clients, the courts, or other attorneys. In this presentation we examine disciplinary cases involving the misuse of social media and the types of conduct that result in disciplinary action and suspensions. We will examine the rules of professional conduct as it relates to giving legal advice on social media and advertising on social media. We will review a disciplinary case where a prosecutor used social media in order to persuade a defense witness not to testify at trial. Most importantly, we learn how to avoid professional misconduct with regard to the use of social media.

On May 15, 1981 Len Barker is pitching a no hitter in the ninth inning. It is a tense time for the pitcher. However, he does not have to worry about a player bunting the ball. There are un-written rules of professionalism in baseball based upon respect for the game. One of these rules is that you do not break up a no hitter by bunting in the ninth inning. However, in the legal profession, courts have noted a lack of professionalism and civility among attorneys even though these traits are the mainstays of our profession and the foundations upon which lawyers practice law. In this interactive presentation, attorneys will learn the unwritten rules of professionalism in baseball, how they are passed on from generation to generation and whether these same concepts of professionalism can apply in the legal profession. Attorneys described this presentation as "informative, entertaining, instructive, fantastic and awesome."

It is time to learn about Judicial Misconduct, what judges should and should not be doing in and out of the courtroom. The Rules of Professional Conduct indicates that an attorney who possesses unprivileged information that a judge has violated the Rules of Judicial Conduct shall inform the appropriate authority and that that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to knowingly assist a judge in conduct that is a violation of applicable rules of judicial conduct. Therefore it is incumbent for every attorney to be familiar with the rules of Judicial Conduct and the type of conduct that is to be expected from the Bench. In this interactive presentation attorneys will gain a working knowledge of the Rules of Judicial Conduct and we will review recent ethical decisions where judges were disciplined for ethical misconduct. This ethics presentation was recently presented to 400 attorneys where it was described as “educational, engaging, interactive, entertaining, lively, informative, humorous, useful and really well done.”

Ethics and ethical conduct is a key to being an effective attorney. Each week we read about disciplinary cases where attorneys are suspended for misconduct involving clients, the courts, or other attorneys. In this presentation we examine these disciplinary cases and the types of conduct that result in suspensions. We examine the rules of professional conduct as it relates to attorney misconduct. Most importantly, we learn how to avoid professional misconduct. This class was presented to the Ohio Prosecutors Association where it was described as an “entertaining and interesting presentation for a difficult topic,” “creative and informative” and “awesome.” The Ohio Bar Association advertised this presentation as the “best of CLE 2013.”

Fairness, civility, respect and candor are supposed to be the trademarks of our profession. There are trends developing among lawyers that emphasize winning at all cost and de-emphasize our historical heritage that the practice of law is a learned profession to be conducted with dignity, integrity and honor as a high calling dedicated to the service of the public good. This seminar reviews ethical rules involving ex parte communications, speaking with persons represented by counsel and other ethical rules with a special emphasis on professionalism. This presentation has been highly rated in Ohio, Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana and Idaho.