Unethical conduct isn’t the only thing that can get you in trouble with bar examiners and potential employers. Unprofessional conduct also matters.

As one law review article put it, “the educational process in law school is designed to give students the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to operate as professionals…This professionalization process is gradual and continues throughout one’s career. Yet, the starting point in the process is when one begins to understand his or her role as a member of the profession and begins to accept the concomitant professional obligations. This process should start in law school.” Leonard Biernat, Why Not Model Rules of Conduct for Law Students? 12 Fla. St. U.L. Rev. 781, 786 (1985).

Some Potential Areas of Susceptibility:

v     Law student interactions, clubs, and building community efforts

v     Interactions with faculty and staff

v     Summer associate positions, externships, clinical experience, and other client contact

v     Presenting a poor professional image

v     Inappropriate networking

v     Taking shortcuts

v     Poor online presence—web pages, email, social networking sites, blogs

v     Exhibiting disruptive, irresponsible, or turbulent behavior

v     Substance abuse or succumbing to law school stress

v     Not accepting responsibility for your actions