Well That Was Rude! Being a Jerk is Not a Skill and Incivility is Counterproductive

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A discussion of the benefits gained through professionalism and civility and the ramifications of poor behavior, including the impacts on clients, counsel, judges, and juries. Persuasive advocacy is focused on the facts and the law. It is not persuasive to be loud or abusive. Civility gains the respect of your peers, builds a strong reputation with the judiciary, and makes the practice of law more enjoyable.

The panel will explore how incivility arises and escalates and offer ways for counsel to avoid and react to incivility without violating their own obligations of professionalism and civility. The panel will discuss the ways in which trial and appellate courts have reacted to bad behavior by counsel, including commentary from cases imposing sanctions and reducing fee awards because counsel were jerks.