Let’s Make a Deal: Legal Ethics in Trump 2.0 (05/07/26)

This seminar examines contemporary professional responsibility issues arising in government service and high profile public matters. Through three moderated panels composed of practicing attorneys, legal scholars, and former government officials, the program explores how ethical obligations are navigated in real world settings, including decision making under public scrutiny, institutional pressures, and the boundaries imposed by confidentiality and professional independence.

Keynote Speaker: James Pearce, Assistant Special Counsel to Special Counsel Jack Smith

Former Government Officials Panel: Discussion of professional responsibility in government service, focusing on integrity, institutional constraints, and ethical decision making in politically charged environments. 
James Pearce, Senior Counsel, Washington Litigation Group 
Stacey Young, Founder & Executive Director, Justice Commission 
Moderator: 
Ankush Khardori, Legal Correspondent, Politico

Legal Practitioners Panel: Discussion of ethical challenges encountered in litigating against the government, with an emphasis on changes in the present administration. 
Andrew Altschul, Andrew Altschul Dispute Resolution, LLC 
Jamie Conrad, Conrad Law & Policy Counsel 
Moderator: 
Richard Painter, S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law, University of Minnesota Law School 

Legal Scholars Panel: This panel situates government ethics within broader professional responsibility doctrine and theory, evaluating whether existing ethics rules adequately safeguard lawyer independence, institutional legitimacy, and public confidence during periods of acute political polarization. 
Christopher Hampson, Associate Professor of Law, University of Florida Levin College of Law
Elise Maizel, Assistant Professor of Law, Michigan State University College of Law 
Rebecca Roiphe, Joseph Solomon Distinguished Professor of Law, New York Law School 
Steven D. Schwinn, Professor of Law, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law 
Moderator: 
Raymond H. Brescia, Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life, Albany Law 

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.