This panel
will explore the ethical and moral dimensions of lawyering for clients with
cognitive impairments. While the challenges associated with counseling and
advocating for such clients are not new, two developments make the panel
especially timely. First, the aging of the baby boom generation and increased
longevity mean that the population of persons with dementia and other age-related
cognitive impairments is growing. Second, by embracing legal capacity as a
right, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities problematizes
past approaches to addressing the needs of persons with cognitive disabilities.
This panel will therefore move beyond a mere recitation of the Model Rules of
Professional Responsibility to think deeply about how lawyers engage with this
client population.
Business meeting at program conclusion.