Law Day 2023

W e take civility very seriously at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Law schools are laboratories for democracy, and law- yers are charged with the highest duty of creating, upholding and promoting legal structures that protect everyone equally. This must be done with respect. It’s a test for all of us. There is always a temptation to say, “My view is the only view,” but that perspective won’t foster change. An important step is to say, “I am here, I am listening, I am open. Let me demonstrate my openness so we can build trust.” It’s crucial to acknowl - edge that we all are still learning. At Loyola Law Chicago, we stress deliberateness, thoughtfulness, mind- fulness and awareness of self in every- thing we do. Showing up with openness requires work, and our faculty and staff model that work every day. Our goal is to create a critical space for discourse. We encourage discussion and facilitate inclusion. We welcome diverse voices into the conversation. T he 2021 Illinois Lawyers Survey on Professionalism includes the encouraging finding that most lawyers (88.7%) find their colleagues civil/professional, but also the more discouraging finding that the majority of lawyers (54%) had experienced uncivil/ unprofessional behavior in the preced- ing six months. Clearly, we have some work to do in enhancing civility in the legal profession, but important efforts are already occur- ring in law schools thanks in large part to the American Bar Association and the values of our students. The ABA now requires all law schools to incorporate Professional Identity Formation into their curricula. This essentially focuses on the special obligations that lawyers owe their clients and society, and it en- courages more intentional infusion of professionalism early on in law school. When I recently discussed civility in the profession with first-year students in our required Preparing to Practice

Character of next generation brings hope for civility Jennifer Rosato Perea Dean, DePaul University College of Law

program, I found that they already understand the inherent value of civility in their role as a lawyer, particularly its benefits for clients and the effective and fair functioning of the legal system. Stu- dents understand that escalating incivil- ity is not acceptable, even for strategic reasons. Some students even said they would leave a firm or organization in which incivility was modeled or encour- aged. This attitude seems less tolerant of incivility than when I was a young law- yer, when it was something you just had to put up with. This new generation of Gen Z lawyers is known for their integrity, tenacity and care. They also are purpose-driven, ac- tion-oriented and generally distrustful of authority. These are the characteristics that will push our profession toward more civility. Since the survey also found that young lawyers felt freer to express their opinions in the workplace, they may even influence more senior lawyers to reduce the regularity of incivility. For example, Professional Identity Formation is a required course for our first-year law students. In the course, they gain practical tools to negotiate tough conversations, solve problems and resolve disputes with civility, re- spect and trust. They learn to fortify mindfulness and create space for nu- anced conversations, as well as rec- ognize and eliminate personal bias. Developing those skills must be a prior- ity alongside doctrinal, experiential and clinical training. I value the collaboration of our faculty and staff colleagues in this work. To- gether, we are laser focused on this im- portant job of safeguarding civility and respect. This concerted effort makes me feel very hopeful. We’re seeing our students graduate with civility as a stan- dard. As Loyola lawyers, they intervene in the cycle of disrespect, turning vola- tile conversations into fruitful and for- ward-thinking, problem-solving endeav- ors. That is progress.

Safeguard civility, openness in discourse

Michèle Alexandre Dean, Loyola University Chicago School of Law

CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN • LAW DAY 2023 41

Powered by