Name: Donald L. Burnett, Jr. ***
Title: Dean/Foundation Professor of Law
School: University of Idaho College of Law
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 442321
Moscow, ID 83844-2321
Phone: 208-885-6305
Email: dburnett@uidaho.edu
Home Page: http://www.law.uidaho.edu/
*** This application is submitted by Richard C. Fields, ABA Center member, nominating Donald L. Burnett, Jr.
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Summary Description:
This is a program designed to introduce new law students on their very first day of law school - truly the beginning of their legal careers - to the importance of ethics and professionalism. Now in its third year, the program (“Professionalism: First Step in Law School, Foundation of a Career”) was designed by Dean Burnett to show students how professional success and professional values go together. Conducted as a feature part of the College of Law Orientation Week, in collaboration with the Professionalism & Ethics Section of the Idaho State Bar, it has already become a distinctive “signature”of the law school. The program features small-group discussions of everyday professionalism/ethics scenarios, each group consisting of five or six students and one or two selected mentors from the bench and bar. The mentors this year included two Idaho Supreme Court justices, two Idaho Court of Appeals judges, two federal judges (one from Idaho; one from Washington), two state trial judges, nine current or past commissioners and presidents of the Idaho State Bar and other respected lawyers from a variety of public and private settings from around the state. At the conclusion of the group discussions, the class is assembled and a student spokesperson from each group reports on his or her team’s conclusions and invites comments from the overall class. Keynote speeches addressing the importance of professionalism are also part of the day.
The goals of the program are (1) to emphasize the importance of professionalism at the very outset of a legal education, (2) to instill in the students that the practice of law remains a high calling and (3) to convey to students that they have a responsibility both to their profession and to the public good. Feedback from the mentors and students has been uniformly positive. Students, following each year’s orientation program, have rated the professionalism segment as by far the best and most welcome portion of their orientation.
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Program History:
The program was first presented August 19, 2003, with 100 students and mentors consisting of four judges and 20 lawyers. The second presentation was August 17, 2004, with 114 students, six judges and 24 lawyers. This year’s program was August 16, 2005, with 104 students, eight judges and 19 lawyers.
Typical of comments from participants are the following:
A Moscow, ID, attorney: “Participating in such a program reminds me of how proud I am to be a lawyer. Making ethics and civility the first stone laid of a legal education, before reading a single case, is important both substantively and symbolically. The large showing of Idaho lawyers and judges sends a resounding message that ethics and professionalism are not simply noble aspirations espoused at the school but are the foundation of all that will follow. I believe students were reassured knowing they were entering a school, a legal community and a profession that so values integrity and civility and were inspired by becoming part of something so much greater.”
A Boise, ID, attorney: “The student orientation program at the U of I this year gave me a unique opportunity to mingle and socialize with outstanding lawyers and judges from around the state, some old friends, others new. It also permitted me to meet and converse informally with an outstanding law school first year class. I learned much myself from reviewing and discussing the hypothetical cases presented to the discussion groups. Even more rewardingly, I was pleased to discover that this group of talented young law students began the first day of their chosen career with essentially the same ethical principles and ideals that are important to me after many years of practice.”
An Idaho Court of Appeals judge: “The College of Law is to be congratulated for adding this excellent new component to its orientation program for entering students. It is an innovative approach that places at the very forefront of students’ law school careers a recognition of the standards of ethics and professionalism that govern lawyers. The fact that lawyers and judges are willing to travel from across the state to participate ought to impress upon these new students that ethics and professionalism are, indeed, a high priority for members of the Idaho bar. Hopefully the program will dispense with any misconceptions and false stereotypes the students may have acquired from the media and popular culture.”
Students: “The opportunity to interact with attorneys . . . on ethics issues was excellent.”
“I thought the professionalism program was excellent.”
“Great orientation. Liked the professionalism. The emphasis on integrity is amazing and appreciated.”
“I really enjoyed the first day and the time we spent with judges/lawyers discussing ethical issues.”
“Exceptionally useful, enjoyable and educational.”
“I really enjoyed the areas where I was given the opportunity to do exercises (the professionalism case methods).”