Did the Bard have the answer for preventing lawyer incivility?

Sep 21st, 2009 by Mark Cohen

From the Legal Intelligencer (courtesy of Above the Law and Law.com) we get the story of the Pennsylvania judge who imposed a unique “sanction” on a lawyer who cursed out his opposing counsel — the offending lawyer must sit down to a meal with his opponent.

U.S. District Court Judge Gene E.K. Pratter said she was inspired to make the offbeat ruling by a line in William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew: “And do as adversaries do in law, Strive mightily but eat and drink as friends.”

In addition to having to break bread his adersary, the offending lawyer, who reportedly used the word “a–hole” four times in reference to opposing counsel, must take a CLE on civility and professionalism.

Out-of-the box thinking on civility issues is all well and good, but one has to pity the poor lawyer who did nothing who now finds himself sentenced to eat with the lawyer who mistreated him. I hope the offending lawyer at least picks up the check.