Lawyers in Practice

Congratulations to Leslie Levin upon the publication of her new book (with Lynn Mather), Lawyers in Practice Ethical Decision Making in Context  (University of Chicago Press, 370 pp.).  The book is an edited collection of chapters from a diverse array of leading and emerging legal scholars and social scientists aimed at exploring how the contexts in which lawyers live and work shape the ethical dilemmas they often confront.  Using data she gathered during individual interviews, Leslie's own chapter Immigration and the Lying Client  investigates the many factors that shape diverse lawyer responses from clients who might claim a false marriage or distort their employment status as a way of beating the system.  Economic pressure, perceptions of the system, concerns over reputation, and habits learned watching other lawyers all play a role in determining how individual lawyers react when a client lies.  As is often the case with strong scholarship, the reader comes away understanding that these issues are more complicated than they first appear and eager to learn still more  Leslie also co-authored both the introductory chapter "Why Context Matters,"   which sets out the book's main themes, and an Epilogue that draws together the book's lessons.  It is hard to imagine a topic more central to our collective work than the way context influences the members of our profession as we seek to remain true to our best ethical selves.   Well done, Leslie!  JP