Ethics Opinion 239

Attorney-Client Relationship Between a Lawyer and Her Firm; Reporting of Professional Misconduct

在准备她的澳门赌场官网事务所根据与客户的收费协议提出索赔的备忘录时, at the request of the firm, 澳门赌场官网与公司建立澳门赌场官网-客户关系是为了公司的费用要求. She therefore is prohibited by Rule 1.从随后代表客户就该申索与商行对抗. She also may be precluded by Rule 1.6 from acting as a witness or otherwise assisting the client in the matter, 如果这样做会要求她披露在代理该公司期间获得的机密或秘密.

A lawyer is not required by Rule 8.(三)向纪律部门或委托人报告对其他澳门赌场官网从事不道德行为的怀疑.

Applicable Rules

• Rule 1.6 (Confidentiality of Information)
• Rule 1.9 (Conflict of Interest: Former Client)
• Rule 8.3(a) (Reporting Professional Misconduct)

Inquiry

The inquirer formerly worked as an associate at a D.C. law firm. 引起她调查的事情涉及到她以前的澳门赌场官网事务所根据与她最初介绍给该事务所的客户的收费协议可能要求澳门赌场官网费. First, 她问，她作为澳门赌场官网在律所的工作是否受到收费协议的约束, 或她随后准备的备忘录，供事务所根据该协议支持其对客户的索赔, 取消她作为客户证人出庭的资格，或在客户与她的前澳门赌场官网事务所发生费用纠纷时以其他方式协助客户. She also wishes advice as to her obligation under Rule 8.(a)向律政司纪律当局报告其原所澳门赌场官网的某些活动.

1. 澳门赌场官网与其事务所之间的澳门赌场官网-客户关系:后续代理中的利益冲突

It is the Committee’s view that, in preparing the memoranda on the law firm’s claim under the fee agreement, at its request, the attorney was representing the law firm with respect to this matter, and stood in an attorney-client relationship with the firm. Rule 1.9 of the D.C. 《澳门赌场官方软件》规定，曾经在某一事项中代表某一客户的澳门赌场官网，此后不得在同一事项中代表另一人，如果该人的利益与前客户的利益相反，除非前客户在咨询后同意. Accordingly, in these circumstances, 未经本公司同意，询问者不得就本公司的费用索赔代表客户.

The prohibition of Rule 1.9 is grounded in the lawyer’s obligation under Rule 1.保护在澳门赌场官网-委托人关系中获得的秘密, and this obligation continues after termination of the lawyer’s employment. The lawyer’s obligation to her former law firm under Rule 1.因此，也可以排除她作为证人或以其他方式协助客户处理费用索赔, 如果这种协助需要披露在为事务所执行费用索赔工作过程中获得的任何机密或秘密.

询问者没有提到她可能与该公司签订过任何雇佣协议, 委员会对她是否在这方面也可能负有某些义务不表示意见.

2. Reporting of Professional Misconduct

The lawyer also wishes to know whether she has an affirmative duty to report, to bar counsel or to the client, 她认为她的前律所可能已经销毁了一些文件，这些文件将支持客户对律所提出的收费诉讼进行辩护. She does not specify what documents these might be, or when or how such destruction may have taken place; indeed, 她明确表示，她“不确定”是否真的发生了破坏. 她还问，她是否有义务向澳门赌场官网事务所的澳门赌场官网或客户报告，她以前所在律所的一位合伙人可能在客户不知情的情况下，使用办公室电话上的录音设备录下了与客户的对话.

Rule 8.第3(a)条规定，如果一名澳门赌场官网“知道另一名澳门赌场官网违反了职业行为规则，并对该澳门赌场官网的诚实提出实质性质疑”，他或她必须向澳门赌场官网公会澳门赌场官网报告, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other respects. . . .“在有义务报告的情况下，不报告本身就可能成为受到纪律处分的理由. While Rule 8.3(a) has not been the subject of interpretation in this jurisdiction, it has been interpreted in other jurisdictions to require reporting only where there is “specific knowledge” of a “clear violation” of the ethics rules; “mere suspicions” of misconduct or unethical behavior need not be reported. See, e.g., New York City Ethics Opinion 1990-3; Williamson v. Council of North Carolina Bar, 46 N.C. App. 824, 266 S.E. 2d 391 (1980). Moreover, Rule 8.3(a) has been interpreted not to require reporting of all misconduct, 但仅限于对另一位澳门赌场官网的诚实提出“实质性问题”的澳门赌场官网, trustworthiness or fitness.

Based on inquirer’s description of the conduct at issue, 委员会不能断定澳门赌场官网根据规则8负有任何义务.3(a) to report to bar counsel. 澳门赌场官网没有表明他对任何事实有具体的了解，这些事实会使销毁文件或未公开的磁带录音违反任何特定的道德规则. 事实上，根据她自己的说法，她甚至不确定这两项活动是否真的发生过. Moreover, 即使假设一些文件被销毁，一些谈话被秘密录音，违反了道德准则, we are not in a position, based on the limited facts before us, 说是否有任何违反规则的行为会对另一名澳门赌场官网的诚实提出“实质性问题”, trustworthiness, or fitness. Finally, neither Rule 8.3(a)也没有任何其他道德规则使澳门赌场官网有义务向客户报告.

Inquiry No. 91-6-24
Adopted: June 16, 1993