1. John’s firm has accepted an engagement to conduct a telephone survey, and he has been assigned an important task on the project. 2. This assignment gives John the opportunity to work more independently, to have more responsibility, and to become involved in a project that is quite different from those he normally deals with. 3. The financial planner, if he in fact engaged in fraudulent activities, seriously affected the lives of many people. 4. John thinks the planner is probably guilty.
5. The use of survey in the jury selection process is not illegal 6. There is no time for John to engage in extensive deliberation about what to do. 7. Apparently John was not given the choice of accepting the choice of accepting or rejecting the assignment, nor was he consulted about his feelings about working such an assignment 8. John voiced no objection about the project when he was given the assignment.
II. WHAT ARE THE ETHICAL ISSUES?
1. Should John participate in such a study if he feels “uncomfortable” about it?
III. WHO ARE THE PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS?
1. John2. John’s firm, his superiors and co-workers, and the owners of the firms. 3. The defence’s attorney.4. The financial planner accused of fraud.5. The victims of the allegedly fraudulent investment plan. 6. The prosecuting attorney and his/her staff7. The community at large.
IV. WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES?
1. John can discuss his feeling with his superiors and let them decide whether the company should conduct the survey.
POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES| ETHICS OF ALTERNATIVES| | ULITITARIAN | RIGHTS| JUSTICE|John can discuss his feelings with his superiors and let them decide whether the company should conduct the survey.| It is better to both sides because they got and did what they really want. John expressed his felling about the project, while the attorney got what he requested.| John has the right to express his feelings even if he is a worker only, because everyone has a freedom to decide on what is right to many.| It could be fair to John because he feel the freedom to express. In client request it has a justice because the firm creates for what he is requested.|
V. WHAT ARE THE PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS?
1. The use of such survey is not considered illegal, nor is it considered unethical in the legal profession. In fact, it is possible that prosecution is also doing a survey or some other form of research for jury selection.
VI. WHAT ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN?
1. . John can discuss his feelings with his superiors and let them decide whether the company should conduct the survey.
