Professional Ethics and Conduct Flashcards
7 cards from real ALA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Professional Ethics and Conduct flashcards as text
In the context of legal management, 'professional competence' requires a CLM to:
Answer: Continuously develop knowledge across all relevant management disciplines
Competence for a CLM involves continuous development across finance, HR, operations, and other legal management disciplines.
A legal administrator learns during a staff meeting that a client's case result will be announced publicly. Sharing this information with a friend who trades stocks would constitute:
Answer: A breach of confidentiality and potentially illegal insider trading
Sharing non-public client information for financial gain violates confidentiality duties and securities laws.
Which scenario represents a 'conflict of interest' for a legal administrator?
Answer: Overseeing vendor contracts where the administrator's spouse owns a stake in one vendor
A financial interest held by a family member in a vendor creates a conflict requiring disclosure and recusal.
The ALA's emphasis on 'integrity' in professional conduct primarily means:
Answer: Acting consistently with honesty and strong moral principles even under pressure
Integrity means adhering to ethical principles honestly and consistently, regardless of external pressures.
A legal administrator is asked by a managing partner to alter financial records to present a more favorable picture to the firm's lender. The administrator should:
Answer: Refuse and document the request, escalating to ethics counsel or the firm's board
Altering financial records constitutes fraud; the administrator must refuse and escalate through proper channels.
How does the CLM certification body address violations of its Code of Professional Responsibility?
Answer: The certification body may investigate and impose sanctions including revocation of certification
The ALA certification body has its own disciplinary process that can result in sanctions including loss of the CLM credential.
Which practice best demonstrates a legal administrator's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as an ethical obligation?
Answer: Implementing bias-free hiring processes and fostering an inclusive workplace culture
Ethical legal management requires actively building fair, inclusive processes and workplace environments.