Sunday, November 25, 2007

Responses to email sending Judge Pauley letter

From an ethics officer who had previously written me
Hi, Mr. Shattuck. I read your very lively cover note, but fear that I may not be able to conduct a diligent reading of your letter to the judge for a few weeks. I hope you find a satisfying forum for your views. Maybe it would be even more effective if you could find a positive spin on this situation. Rather than coming across as saying that the entire legal system law works against ethics, what could we do so that the law and ethics would work with each other instead of against each other? I'm sure you at least imply a solution to the problem, but perhaps if you put the solution up front, there could be something to be gained. I realize that the problem with putting the solution first is that you haven't familiarized people with the problem. But I think it might be worth considering whether you should give people a taste of the positive up front: "Law and ethics would work together better if BLANK." Then go into why you're interested in this, stating the problem, and then come back to the positive solution.

At least in your cover letter, you adopted a tone that I think works best when you are preaching to the choir, creating enthusiasm in people who are already convinced. For the unconvinced, it seems to this one humble reader that a gentler approach might be more persuasive.



From a professor

Robert--

That is an interesting and thought-provoking email. I am on my way to speak at the Ethics and Compliance Officer Association. Maybe, when I get back, we can touch base--



I replied
Thank you very much, Professor ______. I would be very interested in having further communication with you. I am sorry I am not able to be at the Los Angeles conference myself.

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