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ETHICAL LAWYERING

ETHICAL LAWYERING. SPRING, 2006 Class 20. Lawyer – Client Conflicts. Financial Interests Sexual Relationships Personal Beliefs MR 1.8 CRPC 3-300, parts of 3-310 and other rules. Two or More clients. Co-plaintiffs or co-defendants MR 1.7, CRPC 3-310. Current and Former Clients.

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ETHICAL LAWYERING

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  1. ETHICAL LAWYERING SPRING, 2006 Class 20

  2. Lawyer – Client Conflicts • Financial Interests • Sexual Relationships • Personal Beliefs • MR 1.8 • CRPC 3-300, parts of 3-310 and other rules

  3. Two or More clients • Co-plaintiffs or co-defendants • MR 1.7, CRPC 3-310

  4. Current and Former Clients • Clients of private lawyers • Private lawyers switching firms • Former judge • Former government lawyer • MR 1.9, 1.10 (imputed disqualification), 1.11, 1.12, CRPC 3-310

  5. Third Party Interference • Third party pays fees • Insurance companies • Relationship between lawyer and third party involved in matter • 1.8(f), 3-310(F), and other parts of 3-310

  6. MR 1.7(b) (b) Notwithstanding the existence of a concurrent conflict of interest under paragraph (a), a lawyer may represent a client if: (1) the lawyer reasonably believes that the lawyer will be able to provide competent and diligent representation to each affected client; (2) the representation is not prohibited by law; (3) the representation does not involve the assertion of a claim by one client against another client represented by the lawyer in the same litigation or other proceeding before a tribunal; and (4) each affected client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.

  7. CRPC 3-310(B) B) A member shall not accept or continue representation of a client without providing written disclosure to the client where:(1) The member has a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; or (2) The member knows or reasonably should know that: (a) the member previously had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; and (b) the previous relationship would substantially affect the member's representation; or (3) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with another person or entity the member knows or reasonably should know would be affected substantially by the resolution of the matter; or (4) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, or professional interest in the subject matter of the representation.

  8. CRPC 3-310(C) (C) A member shall not, without the informed written consent of each client: (1) Accept representation of more than one client in a matter in which the interests of the clients potentially conflict; or (2) Accept or continue representation of more than one client in a matter in which the interests of the clients actually conflict; or (3) Represent a client in a matter and at the same time in a separate matter accept as a client a person or entity whose interest in the first matter is adverse to the client in the first matter.

  9. CRPC 3-310(E) (E) A member shall not, without the informed written consent of the client or former client, accept employment adverse to the client or former client where, by reason of the representation of the client or former client, the member has obtained confidential information material to the employment.

  10. CRPC 3-310(F) (F) A member shall not accept compensation for representing a client from one other than the client unless:(1) There is no interference with the member's independence of professional judgment or with the client-lawyer relationship; and (2) Information relating to representation of the client is protected as required by Business and Professions Code section 6068, subdivision (e); and (3) The member obtains the client's informed written consent, provided that no disclosure or consent is required if: (a) such nondisclosure is otherwise authorized by law, or (b) the member is rendering legal services on behalf of any public agency which provides legal services to other public agencies or the public.

  11. MR 1.7, COMMENT 18 Informed consent requires that each affected client be aware of the relevant circumstances and of the material and reasonably foreseeable ways that the conflict could have adverse effects on the interests of that client. See Rule 1.0(e) (informed consent). The information required depends on the nature of the conflict and the nature of the risks involved. When representation of multiple clients in a single matter is undertaken, the information must include the implications of the common representation, including possible effects on loyalty, confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege and the advantages and risks involved.

  12. CRPC 3-310(A) (A) For purposes of this rule: (1) "Disclosure" means informing the client or former client of the relevant circumstances and of the actual and reasonably foreseeable adverse consequences to the client or former client; (2) "Informed written consent" means the client's or former client's written agreement to the representation following written disclosure; (3) "Written" means any writing as defined in Evidence Code section 250.

  13. MR 1.7, comment 15 Consentability is typically determined by considering whether the interests of the clients will be adequately protected if the clients are permitted to give their informed consent to representation burdened by a conflict of interest. Thus, under paragraph (b)(1), representation is prohibited if in the circumstances the lawyer cannot reasonably conclude that the lawyer will be able to provide competent and diligent representation. See Rule 1.1 (competence) and Rule 1.3 (diligence).

  14. MR 1.8(a) (a) A lawyer shall not enter into a business transaction with a client or knowingly acquire an ownership, possessory, security or other pecuniary interest adverse to a client unless: (1) the transaction and terms on which the lawyer acquires the interest are fair and reasonable to the client and are fully disclosed and transmitted in writing in a manner that can be reasonably understood by the client; (2) the client is advised in writing of the desirability of seeking and is given a reasonable opportunity to seek the advice of independent legal counsel on the transaction; and (3) the client gives informed consent, in a writing signed by the client, to the essential terms of the transaction and the lawyer's role in the transaction, including whether the lawyer is representing the client in the transaction.

  15. CRPC 3-300 A member shall not enter into a business transaction with a client; or knowingly acquire an ownership, possessory, security, or other pecuniary interest adverse to a client, unless each of the following requirements has been satisfied: (A) The transaction or acquisition and its terms are fair and reasonable to the client and are fully disclosed and transmitted in writing to the client in a manner which should reasonably have been understood by the client; and (B) The client is advised in writing that the client may seek the advice of an independent lawyer of the client's choice and is given a reasonable opportunity to seek that advice; and (C) The client thereafter consents in writing to the terms of the transaction or the terms of the acquisition.

  16. MR 1.8, comment 9 An agreement by which a lawyer acquires literary or media rights concerning the conduct of the representation creates a conflict between the interests of the client and the personal interests of the lawyer. Measures suitable in the representation of the client may detract from the publication value of an account of the representation. Paragraph (d) does not prohibit a lawyer representing a client in a transaction concerning literary property from agreeing that the lawyer's fee shall consist of a share in ownership in the property, if the arrangement conforms to Rule 1.5 and paragraphs (a) and (i).

  17. MR 1.8(b) A lawyer shall not use information relating to representation of a client to the disadvantage of the client unless the client gives informed consent, except as permitted or required by these Rules.

  18. MR I.8(c) A lawyer shall not solicit any substantial gift from a client, including a testamentary gift, or prepare on behalf of a client an instrument giving the lawyer or a person related to the lawyer any substantial gift unless the lawyer or other recipient of the gift is related to the client. For purposes of this paragraph, related persons include a spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent or other relative or individual with whom the lawyer or the client maintains a close, familial relationship.

  19. MR 1.8, comment 6 A lawyer may accept a gift from a client, if the transaction meets general standards of fairness. For example, a simple gift such as a present given at a holiday or as a token of appreciation is permitted. If a client offers the lawyer a more substantial gift, paragraph (c) does not prohibit the lawyer from accepting it, although such a gift may be voidable by the client under the doctrine of undue influence, which treats client gifts as presumptively fraudulent. In any event, due to concerns about overreaching and imposition on clients, a lawyer may not suggest that a substantial gift be made to the lawyer or for the lawyer's benefit, except where the lawyer is related to the client as set forth in paragraph (c).

  20. CRPC 4-400 A member shall not induce a client to make a substantial gift, including a testamentary gift, to the member or to the member's parent, child, sibling, or spouse, except where the client is related to the member.

  21. MR 1.8(j) A lawyer shall not have sexual relations with a client unless a consensual sexual relationship existed between them when the client-lawyer relationship commenced.

  22. CRPC 3-120 (B) A member shall not: (1) Require or demand sexual relations with a client incident to or as a condition of any professional representation; or (2) Employ coercion, intimidation, or undue influence in entering into sexual relations with a client; or (3) Continue representation of a client with whom the member has sexual relations if such sexual relations cause the member to perform legal services incompetently in violation of rule 3-110.

  23. MR 1.2(b) A lawyer's representation of a client, including representation by appointment, does not constitute an endorsement of the client's political, economic, social or moral views or activities.

  24. MR 1.8(f) (f) A lawyer shall not accept compensation for representing a client from one other than the client unless:(1) the client gives informed consent;(2) there is no interference with the lawyer's independence of professional judgment or with the client-lawyer relationship; and(3) information relating to representation of a client is protected as required by Rule 1.6.

  25. CRPC 3-310(F) A member shall not accept compensation for representing a client from one other than the client unless:(1) There is no interference with the member's independence of professional judgment or with the client-lawyer relationship; and (2) Information relating to representation of the client is protected as required by Business and Professions Code section 6068, subdivision (e); and (3) The member obtains the client's informed written consent, provided that no disclosure or consent is required if: (a) such nondisclosure is otherwise authorized by law, or (b) the member is rendering legal services on behalf of any public agency which provides legal services to other public agencies or the public.

  26. CRPC 3-310(B) B) A member shall not accept or continue representation of a client without providing written disclosure to the client where:(1) The member has a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; or (2) The member knows or reasonably should know that: (a) the member previously had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with a party or witness in the same matter; and (b) the previous relationship would substantially affect the member's representation; or (3) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, professional, or personal relationship with another person or entity the member knows or reasonably should know would be affected substantially by the resolution of the matter; or (4) The member has or had a legal, business, financial, or professional interest in the subject matter of the representation.

  27. CRPC 3-320 A member shall not represent a client in a matter in which another party's lawyer is a spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the member, lives with the member, is a client of the member, or has an intimate personal relationship with the member, unless the member informs the client in writing of the relationship.

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