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Does anyone know if ey will PP the I-140?
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I represent some bad people doing criminal law. Sometimes, you work for bad people. However, if your moral compass says you can't do it, be honest with your boss and tell them how you feel and why you feel that way. Honesty is the best answer here.
What you said is right
I was once asked to jump in to help on an emergency on a Friday evening. It was a spot assignment that should only take a couple of hours.
They sent me the docs and that is when I learned that it involved multiple parties who I did not want my name connected to in any way. I immediately had a visceral reaction that I had to talk myself down from, but in the end decided to do the assignment, send my work product to the partner and the associate who usually handled this client but was slammed on something else, and wrote here it is, but I’m not comfortable directly interfacing with this client or the other side.
I called the partner to explain and said that I am happy to help out the team in a pinch, but don’t want my name associated with any of this and won’t do future work for this client or matter. He seemed very understanding and we had a good chat about it. I never heard about it again and I don’t think it hurt me. But tbf it was just a one off pinch hitting situation.
How is your firm culture in general? If it’s respectful of boundaries generally, then they will probably respect this one. But also be prepared that convictions often come at a cost. I hate to be the naysayer but it’s true. I have some personal convictions that I would be willing to lose my job for. Thankfully it’s never been an issue but I think you have to be prepared for negative action. Is this issue important enough to risk loss of esteem, assignments, or employment? If so, go for it, no matter what! Otherwise, tread lightly and fully game out the positive and negative outcomes of speaking up versus staying silent before deciding to act. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Thank you all for your help, I think you are right. I am trying to understand how this will go, both in what respects my office (I do no know how they will react) and myself (what I am willing to lose if all goes wrong; in normal conditions I would be willing to lose my job but I just had a baby and I need to have him in mind when I act). I do not believe I would get fired, we have other projects and this is not essential to have all my billables, but they may start looking at me differently (which may affect their decision when forming teams for future projects), especially because it is not an unanimous topic. I need to think this carefully whilst the project does not start
I have worked on litigation for chemical and oil companies for most of my career. They are entitled to representation and my best efforts within the boundaries of the law. You join a firm you work for that firms clients. If I allow you to refuse that obligation I set the precedent that if you don’t like a client for whatever reason you can opt out. Given the environment of constant moral outrage based on which way the wind is blowing that isn’t an option. Do your job
My firm let me reject any work coming from a transphobic politician or nonprofit, even though we represented a number of Republicans with those views.
What exactly qualifies them for the term transphobic?
There is a reason the model rules of professional conduct have rule 1.16. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_1_16_declining_or_terminating_representation/.
You will be labeled a problem if you bow out. Just do it.