FREE CLA/CP Professional and Ethical Responsibility Questions and Answers

Question 1

A paralegal, working under the supervision of an attorney, is preparing a client for a deposition.
The client is nervous and asks the paralegal what they think the likely outcome of the case will be.
Which of the following is the most ethical response for the paralegal to provide?

Accepted Answer

"I am not permitted to give legal advice or opinions, but I can relay your question to the attorney who can discuss the case's strengths and weaknesses with you."

Answer

"I can't predict the outcome, but I can tell you that the attorney is very skilled and will do everything possible to get a favorable result."

Answer

"Based on my experience with similar cases, I think you have a very strong chance of winning."

Answer

"Let me check the latest jury verdicts for this type of case and I'll give you a percentage of your chances."

Question 2

According to the NALA Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility, which of the following is a paralegal explicitly forbidden from doing?

Accepted Answer

Setting the legal fees for a new client.

Answer

Drafting legal documents for an attorney's review.

Answer

Communicating with clients to schedule appointments.

Answer

Conducting legal research using online databases.

Question 3

A paralegal accepts a new job at a law firm that is representing the plaintiff in a major personal injury case. The paralegal's previous employer represented the defendant in the same case, and the paralegal had access to confidential information. What is the primary ethical obligation of the paralegal and the new law firm?

Accepted Answer

The paralegal must disclose the conflict, and the new firm must implement an effective ethical wall to prevent the sharing of confidential information.

Answer

The paralegal can work on the case as long as they promise not to share any confidential information.

Answer

The new law firm must immediately be disqualified from the case.

Answer

The paralegal is only required to disclose the conflict if they worked on the case for more than six months at the previous firm.

Question 4

Which of the following actions by a paralegal would most likely constitute the unauthorized practice of law (UPL)?

Accepted Answer

Independently advising a friend on the best legal strategy to pursue in a child custody dispute.

Answer

Preparing a standard real estate contract by filling in the blanks with information provided by the client, under attorney supervision.

Answer

Interviewing a potential witness and preparing a summary for the supervising attorney.

Answer

Filing documents with the court clerk after they have been reviewed and signed by an attorney.

Question 5

A paralegal is working late and sees an email from the supervising attorney to a client discussing a sensitive case strategy. The paralegal's friend is a party in an unrelated case against the same opposing counsel. The paralegal is tempted to mention the strategy to their friend. What ethical duty is most directly at risk?

Accepted Answer

The duty of confidentiality.

Answer

The duty of competence.

Answer

The duty to avoid conflicts of interest.

Answer

The duty to disclose paralegal status.

Question 6

According to NALA's Code of Ethics, a paralegal has a duty to maintain a high degree of competency. How is this primarily achieved?

Accepted Answer

Through continuing education and training in professional responsibility and substantive law.

Answer

By only working on cases within their primary area of interest.

Answer

By obtaining the highest possible billable hours for their firm.

Answer

By delegating complex tasks to more experienced attorneys.

A paralegal, working under the supervision of an attorney, is preparing a client for a deposition.The client is nervous and asks the paralegal what they think the likely outcome of the case will be.Which of the following is the most ethical response for the paralegal to provide?

A paralegal, working under the supervision of an attorney, is preparing a client for a deposition.
The client is nervous and asks the paralegal what they think the likely outcome of the case will be.
Which of the following is the most ethical response for the paralegal to provide?