Oswualdo Ramirez
ETH/316
February 29, 2012
Fernando Chavez
Organizational Issues Either at home or at work, ethical issues will always arise; issues between family and friends, employers and employees. But when you bring your work home, standards and principles, honesty and integrity may be questioned and are likely to cause feuds between relationships. After viewing a short, independent film named Lawyers, where a man and woman in a relationship, both lawyers, discuss ethics involving each other’s court cases, a heated argument erupts, causing the man to make a worthy and wise decision. In the following, I will describe how ethical issues can be used to address organizational issues, why the issues in the film are important, how these issues might be relevant to organizational and personal issues, and the relationship between legal and ethical issues as portrayed in the film. To better understand the matter at hand, I will briefly describe the contents of the film. Ryder, a city public defender, is admiring his grandmothers’ ring. After a short conversation with his colleague, he accepts an unwanted court case after his colleague reveals a conflict of interest with the opposing female attorney. Ryder then steps out stating he will be having dinner with his girlfriend Ann, which he has planned on proposing to later in the evening. After arriving at the restaurant, Ann is on the phone speaking about a case she has accepted, clearly stating she is also an attorney. Ryder sets his engagement ring on a small saucer and places it on a conveyer belt, hoping to surprise and propose to Ann after it does its lap around the table. Listening to her phone conversation, Ryder becomes bothered to hear of the manner in which she decides to deal with a case of baseball player accused of taking illegal steroids. They discuss the issue, Ryder trying to understand her approach on the case, but unable to agree with her argument.
References: Donaldson, R. (2010, January 4). Lawyers [Video file]. Retrieved from The Responsibility Project by Liberty Mutual Insurance website: http://responsibility-project.libertymutual.com/films/lawyers#fbid=2iXWMCUy-KU.