Interview conducted by JLI Vol. 40 Lead Online Editor Hannah Stephan

Model Rule 8.4(g) of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Responsibility attempts to curb harmful bias and discrimination in the legal profession, but states ultimately decide which regulations govern members the local bar. In this interview, University of Minnesota Law School Professor Jon J. Lee describes the different ways states regulate bias in the legal profession and the effects of those various approaches. Professor Lee explains how inconsistent application of these rules, especially when combined with a lack of transparency in enforcement, can harm members of marginalized communities.

For further information, please refer to Professor Lee’s article on this subject:

Jon J. Lee, Catching Unfitness, 34 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 355 (forthcoming 2021), https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3668538.