Question

Paralegal Patty has been working in the corporate department of the law firm of Tan & Lee for several years. Her job includes attending board meetings for some of the corporations, writing corporate minutes, and keeping the corporate minute books up to date. Over the years, she has come to know many of the corporate officers very well. One of these officers asks Patty to change some of the facts in one set of corporate minutes. Patty should:

Answer 1

Paralegal Patty must refuse the corporate officer's request to alter corporate minutes due to ethical and legal obligations, and she should report the incident to her supervising attorney.

Step-by-step explanation:

Paralegal Patty should not comply with the corporate officer's request to change any facts in the corporate minutes. As a paralegal, Patty is bound by ethical standards that require accuracy and truthfulness in legal documentation. Altering corporate minutes could be seen as fraudulent and could have serious legal consequences for both Patty and the corporation. It's important for Patty to maintain professional integrity and to adhere to the ethical obligations of her position, as well as the law.

If she faces this kind of ethical dilemma, Patty should refuse the request and report the incident to her supervising attorney or the appropriate authority within her firm. Given the significance of corporate minutes in reflecting the actions and decisions of a corporation, maintaining the honesty and accuracy of these documents is essential.