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Together, we will examine 3 brief fact patterns that will get us talking about professionalism and duties owed to clients.  We will look not only through the eyes of lawyers but, also, through those of other practitioners. 

We will touch upon the duties of lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors under current law.  That will lead directly to a discussion of the differences between a “fiduciary standard” and a “suitability standard.”  This, in turn, will bring the issue of conflicts-of-interest to the discussion table.

What does it mean to be a “professional”?  What duties are owed by non-lawyers to our clients?  What are the consequences when we make referrals to non-lawyers?   Presumably, this set of issues will not result in unanimity around the table and will be fruit for a hearty discussion. 

Finally, Steve will present you with some aspirational thoughts on what it means to be a ‘true professional” including some of his recent writing on the topic. 

Presenter:  Steven G. Blum               

Steve G. Blum is a teacher, lawyer and consultant.  He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University, the degree of Juris Doctor from Northeastern University, a Masters degree in the Law of Taxation from New York University and a Masters degree in Education from Harvard University. In addition, he completed the Specialization in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution at the Harvard Negotiation Project. He has been teaching in the Department of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania for nineteen years, and has been a visiting professor at the ALBA Graduate Business School in Athens, Greece since 1996.  He has five times won the William G. Whitney Award for outstanding teaching. In addition to being an award winning teacher, Mr. Blum has consulted widely and frequently leads seminars and educational forums. He has given workshops and training sessions for a number of Fortune 100 companies. He also teaches regularly in programs at the Center for Executive Education at Wharton. Mr. Blum is also a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and a partner in a wealth management firm. He is currently working on a book about negotiation, economics, and personal finance as well as several articles concerning professionalism