Risk Update

Lawyer Ethics and Professional Responsibility — Experts Review Recent Opinions

Posted Dan Bressler

The folks at Hinshaw present a look at 2021: “11 Legal Ethics Opinions You May Have Missed in 2021” —

  • California Lawyers Association Ethics Committee Formal Opinion No. 2021-1: Elements of Effective Ethical Screens
    • “Conflicts always top the list of risk management concerns. This opinion discusses six universally mandated elements for an effective ethical screen: 1) prompt imposition of the screen; 2) no fee-sharing; 3) notice to affected clients; 4) prohibiting communications across the screen; 5) limiting access to screened matter’s file; and 6) limiting access to the prohibited person’s documents. The opinion adds that monitoring the ethical screen should be performed on a quarterly basis.”
  • DC Bar Ethics Opinion 380: Conflict of Interest Issues Related to Witnesses
    • “Imagine you are knee-deep in fact discovery for a hotly contested case you have handled for the past two years when the opposition discloses your former client as a key witness. This opinion squarely addresses the thorny legal ethics issues that arise from this simple fact pattern, along with issuing subpoenas to current or former clients, cross-examining clients, and imputation of confidences and secrets of clients. The opinion also highlights how some jurisdictions have reached different conclusions about whether a conflict exists under similar circumstances.”
  • State Bar of Nevada Formal Opinion 58: Advance Waivers
    • “Advance conflict waivers are often a hot topic. In this opinion, Nevada finds that advance waivers may be permitted if they meet all of the requirements for waiving a present conflict of interest under Nevada Rule of Professional Conduct 1.7(b). The attorney must undertake an analysis of whether the conflict can be consented to and whether the client has given actual informed consent.”

And the Clyde & Co team explore an interesting question: “Are In-House Lawyers’ Non-Compete Agreements Enforceable?” —

  • “The recent opinion in Ipsos-Insight, LLC v. Gessel, No. 21-CV-3992 (JMF), 2021 WL 2784634 (S.D.N.Y. July 2, 2021) addressed the topic of whether a former in-house counsel’s non-compete agreement was unenforceable.”
  • “The Court granted the motion to dismiss brought by defendant Gessel, the plaintiff’s former in-house counsel, because the non-compete clause with plaintiff violated Rule 5.6(a).”
  • “Despite its decision here, based on the guiding precedent in New York that such agreements are unenforceable, which it felt compelled to apply, the Court invited plaintiff to appeal to the Second Circuit in order to have the question certified to the New York Court of Appeals.”
  • “However, the ethics opinions generally make clear that an in-house lawyer is still bound by Rules 1.6 and 1.9 to preserve the former employer’s confidentiality and not act adversely towards it, and a drafter would be wise to ensure any non-compete clause contains a savings clause.”