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Conversation, connection may be antidotes for incivility in law

Shielded behind computer screens, some people behave in ways that are downright rude — or worse. As the practice of law moved online with the COVID-19 pandemic, those familiar hazards to civility arose in the legal profession as well.

By Grace Barbic

The incivility monster: Why being bad feels good

Practicing attorneys are acutely aware of the potential consequences of incivility. And yet, incivility persists. Could it be that attorneys are hard-wired to lose their cool? Does it pay to be belligerent? And how do the pandemic and other stressors contribute?

By Emma Oxnevad

Zealous advocacy and beyond: Leaders share views on civility

Terry A. Fox of the Illinois Defense Counsel, Patrick A. Salvi II of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and Stephanie Villinski of the Illinois Commission on Professionalism contemplated our questions on what’s going right — and wrong — with how attorneys act.

By Chicago Daily Law Bulletin staff

Collaborative conversations require a mindful approach

Contributors Dan Cotter and Pat Eckler reflected on how they behave as media partners — and why civility is the necessary foundation of the conversations about the law they want to convene.

By Pat Eckler and Dan Cotter

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The 2023 Law Day magazine is available for browsing or to download.

Law Day Letters

More than just good manners

The preamble to the Standards for Professional Conduct within the Seventh Federal Judicial Circuit provides that “[A] lawyer’s conduct should be characterized at all times by personal courtesy and professional integrity in the fullest sense of those terms. In fulfilling our duty to represent a client vigorously as lawyers, we will be mindful of our obligations to the administration of justice, which is a truth-seeking process designed to resolve human and societal problems in a rational, peaceful, and efficient manner.”

By Ken Apicella

Civility costs nothing, buys everything

While technology has certainly increased the pace and improved the practice of law, electronic communications have become the No. 1 hotspot for lawyer misbehavior and incivility. This must change. As a mentor taught me, “If you wrestle with a pig, you’ll both get muddy, but the pig will enjoy it.” Dexterity in communicating in interactions with clients, witnesses and the public are skills that lawyers historically developed early in their careers and fine-tuned over the course of their lives.

By Timothy S. Tomasik

Civility is necessary to protect rule of law

Law Day is a national day to celebrate the rule of law. For lawyers to protect the rule of law, they must demonstrate the highest level of professionalism, which includes civility and integrity. At Southern Illinois University School of Law, we are committed to transforming our students into the lawyers and community leaders of tomorrow, empowered with the knowledge and skills to improve their communities. A lawyer’s professional reputation begins in law school — it is never too early to practice exemplary professionalism.

By Camille M. Davidson