Legal Ethics Expert Geoffrey Hazard to Give Public Lecture on Nov. 21

Akron, Ohio, Oct. 22, 2008 - Geoffrey Hazard, a renowned expert in the areas of legal ethics and professional responsibility, will be the inaugural Joseph G. Miller and William C. Becker Institute for Professional Responsibility Distinguished Lecturer on Nov. 21 at The University of Akron School of Law.

His lecture, Not the "City of God:" Confronting Multiple Obligations, examines the idea that the standard modern method of thinking is analytic, isolating a specific problem for attention. The reality for clients, however, is that their practical and legal problems usually come in complex clusters, for which Hazard proposes a different and arguably more effective framework for lawyers to follow when counseling clients confronting a cluster of problems.

Hazard received the distinguished American Bar Association Michael C. Franck Professional Responsibility Award in spring 2008 in recognition of his outstanding work in the field of professional responsibility and his service to the bar. He was reporter for the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct and draftsman-consultant for the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct. Hazard was formerly a chaired professor at Yale Law and Penn Law. He is currently a chaired professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law.

The lecture, held Nov. 21 at 3:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. A reception will follow the presentation. To attend the presentation, R.S.V.P. at 330-972-7988 or sfauppe@uakron.edu.

The Joseph G. Miller and William C. Becker Institute for Professional Responsibility is dedicated to enhancing public trust and confidence in the legal profession and the judicial system by pursuing programs and academic endeavors to promote access to justice and to enhance ethical awareness and performance of attorneys, judges, law teachers and students; advocating the enhancement of professionalism of those who practice, adjudicate, teach and study the law;
reaching out to other professions and academic disciplines to identify and pursue areas of common professional interest; and examining, reporting on and suggesting improvements in the disciplinary systems for lawyers and judges.

The University of Akron School of Law promotes justice, the protection of individual liberty and the rule of law through commitment to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service. The law school boasts a nationally recognized program in intellectual property, as well as one of four Constitutional Law Centers in the United States. To learn more, visit www.uakron.edu/law.

The University of Akron is the public research university for Northern Ohio. It is the only public university in Ohio with a science and engineering program ranked in the top five nationally by U.S. News & World Report. Serving 24,700 students, the university offers approximately 300 associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral and law degree programs and 100 certificate programs at sites in Summit, Wayne, Medina and Holmes counties. For more information, visit www.uakron.edu.