This conference is co-sponsored by ALI CLE and the Environmental Law Institute.
Why You Should Attend
If you want concrete, actionable strategies for dealing with difficult ethical questions that may arise in an environmental lawyer’s practice, this webcast is for you. Hypothetical situations drawn from real practice are used to discuss supervising consultants, using AI responsibly, handling client conflicts, maintaining confidentiality, and making tough decisions about truthfulness in disclosures.
Whether you are an in-house lawyer, outside counsel, or early-career associate, this session delivers practical tips for recognizing and navigating ethical landmines. Learn from experienced practitioners who have faced similar dilemmas and benefit from their wisdom about when—and how—to seek help or escalate concerns within your organization. You’ll come away with a deeper understanding of your professional obligations, practical approaches to tough situations, and resources for further support when the stakes are high.
What You Will Learn
Join in-house and outside counsel as they address a range of timely and complex ethical issues facing today’s environmental lawyers, with a particular focus on the rapidly evolving intersection of technology, professional responsibility, and environmental practice. Topics include:
- Ethical Use of AI in Legal Practice: Your professional duties when using (or supervising the use of) AI tools and consultants, including confidentiality risk and the importance of verifying AI-generated content.
- ESG Reporting and Truthfulness: Your responsibilities when preparing public-facing ESG disclosures; the legal and reputational risks of “puffery” or omission of material facts; and the applicable rules.
- Navigating Conflicts and Difficult Clients: Counseling clients when their business objectives clash with your personal values or legal/ethical boundaries, your duty to provide candid advice (Model Rule 2.1), and when you may need to “report up” or withdraw from representation.
- The Role of Consultants and Confidentiality: Engaging and supervising environmental consultants and the interplay between legal and engineering codes of ethics in environmental matters.
- Ethical Issues in Career Transitions: The dos and don’ts when considering a move to another law firm or organization, including managing conflicts of interest and protecting client confidentiality.
This highly rated capstone session was originally presented on February 20, 2025, at the annual ALI CLE and ELI conference, Environmental Law 2025. Register now for this timely rebroadcast and build your ethical toolkit! All questions will be answered in writing by the faculty within two business days of the program.
Who Should Attend
Environmental and energy law attorneys will benefit from watching this webcast addressing ethical issues particular to this area of practice.
Faculty, CLE & More
Please visit the event page for the latest information and to register.