Moral Agency

Why lawyers should care about moral philosophy and ethics.

Lawyers have distinctive obligations to their clients, the courts before which they practice, and the legal system as a whole. However, the standards belonging to a professional role are not a force field protecting lawyers from moral criticism. W. Bradley Wendel explores the tension and controversy around lawyers representing unpopular clients.

During their first year at Harvard Law School, a group of law students began organizing around forced arbitration clauses in contracts, specifically those many law students were compelled to sign as a condition of summer associate programs offered by top law firms. Almost eight years later, the organization has expanded from fighting for worker power to larger issue areas, like democracy defense.

Career public servants who work across multiple administrations might experience a tension between their personal beliefs and their professional responsibilities. How is this tension felt when the job itself is to lead ethics on behalf of the government?

Dennis Thompson founded the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University to bring together moral philosophy, ethics, and the professions. We dedicate this issue of The Practice to the spirit of what he tried to create at Harvard.