The Principled Legal Firm: Insights into the Professional Ideals and Ethical Values of Partners and Lawyers

Date

2009

Authors

Winter, Richard

Journal Title

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Volume Title

Publisher

Promaco Conventions Pty Ltd

Abstract

Understanding how the professional ideals of partners influence lawyer everyday life is a relatively unexplored area given the inherent difficulties of gaining access to lawyers. This case study sheds light on the professional ideals and ethical values of partners and lawyers in a mid-tier Sydney law firm. Semi-structured interviews with partners and lawyers/legal clerks reveal how partners� professional ideals and ethical values play a pivotal role in: (1) upholding positive normative evaluations of partner/firm propriety (moral legitimacy), (2) satisfying younger lawyers� needs for personal support and autonomy/responsibility (pragmatic legitimacy), and (3) stressing the importance of a balanced working life (cognitive legitimacy). The principled actions of partners are portrayed as the cornerstone of shaping a moral community in legal practice.

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Citation

Source

Proceedings of Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management (ANZAM 2009)

Type

Conference paper

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License Rights

DOI

Restricted until

2037-12-31