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OUP Australia
Paperback

Ethics and Legal Professionalism in Australia

Fourth Edition

Paula Baron, Lillian Corbin

$109.95 AUD

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ISBN:
9780190354916
Published:
1 Sep 2026
Availability:
Print on demand

In a world shaped by rapid technological change, political division and global challenges, the ethical responsibilities of lawyers have never been more important.

This book seeks to develop students’ ‘moral compasses’ by introducing ethical issues during legal education and preparing them for the realities of legal practice. Going beyond a simple focus on compliance, it deliberately raises contentious issues to encourage discussion and debate about how professional obligations and ethical choices shape relationships between the legal profession, the public and regulatory bodies.

This fourth edition has been thoroughly updated, with new material on emerging ethical issues, expanded discussion of recent scholarship and examination of real-world events and dilemmas.

Clear and accessible, with a strong emphasis on readability and brevity, the book retains the distinctive thematic approach of previous editions. It remains an essential guide for students seeking to understand and engage with the complex ethical challenges facing the legal profession today.

New to this edition

The fourth edition reflects significant developments affecting the legal profession and its broader social and institutional context, including:

  • the impact of rapid technological developments, particularly artificial intelligence
  • global events that have challenged the institutional authority of legal systems and public trust in legal institutions
  • the influence of social media on legal practice and professional identity
  • the concepts of misinformation, disinformation, ‘truth decay’ and emotivism
  • the emergence of so-called ‘sovereign citizens’ movements
  • the relationship between the legal profession and democratic institutions

Teaching materials accompanying the book have been expanded to provide more comprehensive and critical support for instructors.

Table of Cases
Table of Statutes
Acknowledgements

What is ‘Lawyering’?
1 The nature of ‘lawyering’
2 Who are lawyers? Professional diversity
3 Profession or business? The debate
4 The changing environment

The Framework of Lawyering
1 Clarifying the terminology
2 Personality, extrinsic factors and psychological theory
3 Conceptions of lawyering
4 Effects of culture

Truth and Honesty
1 Dishonesty as individual character
2 Dishonesty and systemic practices in the legal system

Fidelity to the Law
1 Defining the duty to the law
2 The content of the duty
3 Tension between fundamental duties
4 Oversight of the duty

Loyalty to the Client
1 The sources of the obligation of loyalty
2 Practical aspects of the trust relationship
3 The nature of the duty
4 Identifying the client: to whom is the duty owed?
5 Loyalty and zealous advocacy

Confidentiality
1 The duty of confidentiality
2 Legal professional privilege

Competence
1 The meaning of competence
2 Competence in context
3 Remedies and sanctions for incompetence
4 Causes of incompetence; strategies to improve competence

Civility and Courtesy
1 Meanings of ‘civility’
2 A crisis of civility?
3 The need for reform

Service and Access to Justice
1 Sources of the service obligation
2 Nature and extent of the service obligation

Paula Baron is Emeritus Professor of Law at La Trobe University, where her work focused on legal ethics, professional responsibility and legal education. She has held senior leadership roles at universities in Australia and New Zealand, including Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dean and Head of School. Her teaching and scholarship have also addressed contract law and intellectual property. She is a member of the Australian Academy of Law and a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She has written widely on legal ethics, the legal profession and legal education. Her work reflects a long-standing interest in the ethical foundations of legal practice and in helping students develop professional judgment.

Lillian Corbin is widely known in Australia and internationally for her research in legal ethics, lawyer regulation, and legal education. Her work, which began with a PhD on professionalism, has informed discussions of ethical legal practice among legal academics, the legal profession, and the judiciary across Australia and Asia.  A dedicated educator, she has received multiple teaching awards and held senior leadership roles in Teaching and Learning. Through her work as Head of School, she has championed the importance of ethical legal practice and the development of students’ professional capabilities, contributing to a stronger culture of professionalism within the legal community.

Student Resources to accompany Ethics & Legal Professionalism in Australia Fourth Edition:

  • How to use this book
  • The problem of inequitable access to justice
  • Comparative tables

Click here to access the full list of student resources.

Instructor Resources to accompany Ethics & Legal Professionalism in Australia Fourth Edition:

  • Instructor's resource manual

Click here to access the full list of lecturer resources.