Mark Dubois
Mark Dubois, the former chief disciplinary counsel for Connecticut, is now an attorney at the New London firm of Geraghty & Bonnano.
Ethics Matters
Boot Camp Is Better Than Ignorance Of Rules
Monday, April 9, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Many folks do not know that our rules of professional conduct do not mirror the American Bar Association model rules in some important respects. For instance, model Rule 1.15 is four paragraphs long. Our rule is over 25 pages long. Model Rule 1.6 permits disclosure of client confidences to prevent serious physical harm to another. Our rule mandates it. Our Rule 3.7 contains a prohibition on threatening criminal action to gain an advantage in civil litigation. The model rule has no such provision.
Ethics Matters
UConn Law Should Find New Measures Of Success
Monday, April 2, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Well, the U.S. News ratings are out and UConn Law has dropped into a solid Tier II slot at No. 62. This has led to the predictable round of anger, recriminations and general angst in many quarters. Present students feel betrayed, as they watch the ranking sink at a time when the market for recent law grads is extremely bad. Recent grads are angry, feeling that the value of their degrees has continued to slide with the rest of the economy.
Ethics Matters
Dealing With Detritus Of The Dead And Disappeared
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Monday, March 19, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
I saw an article the other day that the trustee for the defunct Howrey law firm was trying to figure out what to do with 220,000 boxes of closed files belonging to 10,000 clients. Not a pretty picture. And, except for the sheer volume, not all that uncommon a problem.
Ethics Matters
Just Pretend The Walls Have Ears
Monday, March 5, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Umberto Eco has a new book out - The Prague Cemetery. It is historical fiction, and revolves around the creation of the Rosetta Stone of anti-Semitic literature, the Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Ethics Matters
New Lawyers Need A Place To Learn The Ropes
Monday, February 27, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
For the last 20 years, there has been increasing pressure on law schools to do more to make their graduates "practice ready." In 1992, there was a study called McCrate that urged a more practical focus in law school pedagogy. A few years ago, McCrate was followed by the Carnegie report which went further. I just read that California is mulling a requirement that grads prove significant client experience before they will be granted a license.
Ethics Matters
Putting The Brakes On Bicycle Philanthropy
Monday, February 20, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
Reading in the press the other day that a fellow employed by the state got into trouble and had to pay a fine for misuse of state facilities brought back memories. They guy was some sort of purchasing agent for the military folks and brought his kid and some of his pals to work where they used the gymnasium to play basketball. This allegedly violated the state prohibition on private use of state resources.
Ethics Matters
Let's Deregulate All The Lawyers
Monday, February 6, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
I was reading Washington Lawyer the other day. I found it in my gym. Some partner in a big firm left it near the spinning bike. It contained a review of a new book by three eggheads from the Brookings Institute called "First Thing We Do, Let's Deregulate All the Lawyers." These folks, applying obtuse, dense and impenetrable economics formulae to the market of legal services have concluded that law schools cost too much, that some lawyers make too much, and that the public needs more inexpensive sources of legal help.
Ethics Matters
Are Small Firms Entering Legal Twilight?
Monday, January 23, 2012 | by Mark Dubois | The Connecticut Law Tribune
I spent the holidays on Cape Cod. It is a place where I can both be very productive and get as close to spiritual as a fan of Christopher Hitchens can be. I just read a book by Judy Dutra called "Nautical Twilight." It recounts, through the life of her family, the demise of the small coastal fisherman on Cape Cod.
