December 17, 2025 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Overview (Program Summary)
No Sugar Added: The Ethics of Straight Talk
Some lawyers dance around the truth, hiding behind carefully crafted language and diplomatic double-speak. Others cut straight to the point—direct, honest, and refreshingly clear. This program explores how attorneys can communicate with candor while staying firmly within ethical boundaries. Professional legal educator Stuart Teicher, Esq. (the CLE Performer) examines the fine line between beneficial bluntness and harmful rudeness, showing how direct communication can actually strengthen client relationships and professional credibility.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify situations where direct communication serves clients' interests while complying with RPC 1.4's requirements for clear and prompt client communication
- Navigate the tension between candid speech and RPC 8.4's prohibition on conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice
- Distinguish between productive frankness and harmful incivility under RPC 8.4(d), recognizing when bluntness enhances rather than undermines professional relationships