what's going on (March 26, 2010)

A Minnesota lawyer appears to be admitting that his high-profile matter was inadvertently in violation of the current client rule.  (It can happen at big firms -- typically, when the conflicts clearing system failed.)  Suppose that the lawyer did the conflicts checking appropriately, there there was an administrative failure elsewhere, and he actually didn't know of the conflict.  I suppose that the bar wouldn't discipline, but who knows.       .  .  .  .  .     The District of Columbia's IOLTA program will no longer permit lawyers to opt out.     .  .  .  .  .     Here's an argument, from Deborah Jones Merritt of Ohio State, that law schools should offer courses in law practice management.  I agree.  (At the same time, I wonder about her argument that most law schools disdain the idea.  Does anyone know how many schools offer courses like that?  I assume that many do, especially schools outside the mythical "top 14.")     .  .  .  .  .     Joshua Kobicki offers some thoughts spurred by the recent "Law Firm Evolution" conference at Georgetown's Center on the Legal Profession.     .  .  .  .  .     Although I haven't been able to follow the twists and turns closely, it appears that the proposed reforms of the Scottish legal profession have suffered a setback.     .  .  .  .  .     "IRISH lawyers are still able to charge some of the highest legal fees in the world simply "because they can".     .  .  .  .  .      Plans are afoot to permit more foreign lawyers practice in Australia.     .  .  .  .  .