In his pioneering new book, W. Bradley Wendel, the Edwin H. Woodruff Professor of Law, confronts the ethical quandaries faced by lawyers when representing controversial clients and questions the principle of non-accountability that has long shielded legal professionals from public criticism. On March 18 in the MacDonald Moot Court Room, members of the Cornell Law School community gathered to hear three distinguished scholars of legal ethics discuss Canceling Lawyers: Case Studies of Accountability, Toleration, and Regret.
From left: Emad Atiq, Abbe Smith, Brad Wendel, and Lonnie T. Brown Jr.
The event featured Emad Atiq of Cornell Law School, Lonnie T. Brown Jr. of the University of Tennessee College of Law, and Abbe Smith of Georgetown Law School, with Kristen Underhill, Cornell’s associate dean for faculty research, moderating. Atiq praised Wendel’s exploration of the moral tensions inherent in representing controversial clients, noting that even permissible actions can still attract valid criticism based on intentions and social consequences. “The analysis delivers novel insights regarding when criticism is apt and when it isn’t,” Atiq remarked.
Brown, dean of the University of Tennessee College of Law, shared anecdotes about the complexities of non-accountability, while drawing connections to historical figures like Ramsey Clark. “I think Brad’s book makes an enormous contribution to the profession,” he said.
Smith, of Georgetown Law, emphasized the emotional challenges lawyers face and pointed out the double standard applied to public defenders. “What has always annoyed me about the duty to publicly justify public defense . . . is that no one ever asks that question of prosecutors,” she said.
Wendel expressed gratitude to the attendees and discussed the importance of open discourse in addressing the ethical challenges lawyers face today. He encouraged a broader conversation about the responsibilities and moral burdens that come with legal advocacy, emphasizing the need for internal reflection among lawyers regarding their professional choices and the moral consequences of those choices.
