The Student

Ah!

Joe?

Joe?

Oh! Oh my God.

Oh no!

911. What is your emergency?

Emergency, what is your problem?

Hello?

Hello!

Good morning, professor.

Good morning, Joe.

Would the tranferees from Professor McDeere's class

please give me a show of hands.

Welcome.

I know it's rather late in the term

but the syllabus is the same

so it should be a pretty smooth transition.

Especially since we're on our last topic,

which is...

ethics and law.

Two words not often spoken in the same breath.

Ignore it at your own peril,

ladies and gentlemen.

You could risk ending your career before it's even begun.

So remember,

only fools...

- Break the rules. - That's right.

Yes! Alright, I would like to start today's class

with a quote from Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin.

Some of you may know him from the silent movie era.

"Man is animal, with primary instincts of survival.

"Consequently, his ingenuity has developed first,

"and his soul afterwards.

"Thus, the progress of science

is far ahead of Man's ethical behavior."

What do you think he means?

Yes, Mr. Vaughn?

I think he's saying that,

while primary instincts are inborn,

ethical behavior has to be learned.

Exactly! Ethical behavior.

So, who of you bright, young, would-be lawyers

can tell me what we mean

by "ethics"?

- Miss Hart? - Well, ethics is like

a system of moral standards or values.

Yes. Thank you.

Would anyone like to elaborate?

Oh, come on. At least Miss Hart consulted Websters.

No one else did their homework last night?

Yes, Mr.?

Van Sickle, Vance.

Ethics are a set of rules codified by an

established society. Do's and dont's

that dictate and govern acceptable social behavior.

Well said.

That doesn't make them right.

Like morality, they're just a set of

arbitrary rules imposed on us by society.

You are quite the cynic Mr. Van Sickle.

Moving forward, just so those of you

who just transferred in are clear, in my class

we follow the rules.

Moving on...

Who can give me

an early example of a code of conduct?

Anyone?

How about you, Mr. Van Sickle?

Mr. Van Sickle?

Mr. Van Sickle, I was asking if anyone could give me an example--

You can find the code of conduct pertaining to law

in the A.B.A.'s Rules of Professional Conduct, 1983.

And you thought I wasn't listening.

A.B.A.'s

Rules of Conduct.

1983.

This particular code

helps us to negotiate the ethical minefields

of a courtroom.

Pay particular attention to...

Rule 3: The responsibilities

of an attorney to the tribunal.

Read my lips, people. This is crucial!

This rule plays an integral part in your mock trials,

which...

are your final exam, and 60% of your final grade.

Okay, time is up for today.

Don't forget to check the board

for your presentation times.

Mr. Van Sickle?

May I see you, please.

You wanted to see me,

-Professor Grandacre? -Yes.

Look, I just want to make sure

you're not one of these students

who thinks they can rely on their good looks

and their charm just to get a good grade.

Absolutely not!

I'm on full scholarship so let me assure you,

I take my grades very seriously.

Good. I'm relieved to hear it.

Good. I'm glad.

I've worked very hard to get where I am today.

Very hard.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Grandacre.

Sounds like you really shut her down, man.

Listen, if anyone can handle Grandacre, though, it's you.

You already know it!

Do you think that's about McDeere?

How should I know?

They say he OD'd on his meds, man.

You need a ride home?

No, thanks. I've got my bike.

Vance! Vance!

Claire Hart?

Daughter of the Donald Hart,

as in, Lawson-Hart School of Law, Hart?

The one and only.

You have got no shot.

Care to wager a beer?

You're on!

Hi Vance. I'm glad I caught you.

Yeah, I'm glad you did too, Claire.

Oh. Claire, Arthur. Arthur, Claire.

Arthur was just leaving.

What?

Oh. Yeah. I was...

Nice meeting you.

Bye.

So, I just wanted to tell you

that I saw on the board we're going to be trial partners.

Wow! A Hart for an opponent!

Looks like I have my work cut out for me.

I mean, with all that free advice...

Oh, no. Not really.

My dad says doing this on my own

will make me a better lawyer, so...

That's one of the many reasons

many reasons I don't go to his school.

Probably a smart move.

So why did you pick defense?

I prefer to make sure innocent people are not wrongly convicted.

Yes, but you're going to wind up

defending the guilty a lot of the time.

I'm okay with that.

You will be mine.

Oho! Or not.

Come on!

Dude!

Vance, are you crazy?

Relax. If I thought you'd stand a chance,

-I wouldn't have done it. -Wow.

Bravo.

Hey. Check this out.

What?!

You got Claire's digits? Man!

I guess I do owe you that beer.

Oh, you owe me a lot more than that.

I let you crash here at my awesome hideout.

Yeah, I don't really get it, man.

Why don't you stay here with me?

Your dad gave it to you,

but you stay with your mom and your dipstick step-dad,

who you hate, and he hates you.

No, man. Too many bad memories here.

I like to just use it when I want to stay anonymous, you know.

Besides, I like to keep an eye out for my mom.

Make sure she's okay.

-Fair enough. -Hey!

Here's that essay you wanted on civil disobedience.

You are a life saver.

Hey! Remember to reword it.

Don't I always?

Thank you. You are a life saver, my friend.

And you're a profitable enterprise.

"While courts normally award damages to victims of negligence,

"those damages may be reduced if the victims themselves

"are found to be negligent.

"However, in a precedent-setting case, Gough vs. Thorne,

"the court decided to waive culpability

"in the case of a young child.

"Sui generis rule,

"setting aside previously established rule

in order to impart justice."

You're late.

Dinner's getting cold.

Hi, honey. How was your day?

Where were you?

I was at the library, working.

I'm so proud of you.

One more year and you'll be a real lawyer.

They serve beer at the library now, do they?

Go on, I made your favorites.

You were supposed to work with me at the garage today.

I give you room and board, and you come down and help me.

I carry a full load of classes and have to get perfect grades

or I lose my scholarship.

He's right, Paul. Honey, maybe you could

give some hours on Saturday or something.