Ethics

In conjunction with Keith Swisher, I submitted an abstract of a paper to the forthcoming Fourth International Legal Ethics Conference at Stanford Law School.  Our proposal was accepted ?  "with enthusiasm,? we were told.

Unfortunately, the emailed acceptance looked like a form response that might have been sent to everyone who submitted an abstract. Apparently, it was.  I have learned since that there will be over 100 speakers (and I suspect that many of them did not even submit proposals).  In addition, there are no honoraria or travel expenses offered, and speakers are required to pay the advanced registration fee of $350 (that?s over $35,000 net right there).  Also, students are charged a registration fee of $250.  In addition, the conference brings in registration fees from lawyers who are fulfilling CLE requirements.

By contrast, Hofstra?s three-day ethics conferences have about 24 speakers. That allows time for the presentations and for a question-and-answer period after each talk, in which all in attendance can participate; the registration fee is waived for speakers; speakers receive respectable honoraria; and their travel expenses are reimbursed.  Students, of course, pay nothing to attend.  It?s not a great business model, but it sure makes for a great bunch of conferences.

Despite the honor of being able to buy my way into a roster of speakers at Stanford, therefore, I have decided to take a pass on the Stanford conference.  I?m a card-carrying capitalist, but this kind of exploitation in the name of ethics could turn me into a Marxist, or a cynic.