Loading…
9
Should a lawyer disclose a past client's secrets if it helps a current case? A mentor told me I was wrong to stay quiet.
I had a mentor rip into me for not using a former client's admission against a current client in a property dispute. He said loyalty ends when the check clears, but I figured attorney-client privilege is absolute. What do you all think, where's the line when both clients have conflicting interests and you know the truth?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
blakestone2mo ago
This reminds me of a buddy who used to work at a car dealership. He found out a former customer had lied about a trade-in's mileage, but when that guy came back as a new customer, his boss told him to keep his mouth shut. Privilege isn't something you can turn on and off like a switch, it has to be absolute or it means nothing. Loyalty might end when the check clears, but your integrity shouldn't.
9
mianelson2mo ago
Your buddy's boss was wrong. That silence makes you part of the lie. Once you agree to hide one thing, you own all of it.
4
the_paul2mo ago
That part about "privilege isn't something you can turn on and off like a switch" really stuck with me, @blakestone. It's the same reason whistleblowers get treated like traitors - once you decide silence is the price of doing business, you can't just go back to being the good guy when it's convenient. Your integrity IS your reputation, and you can't cash it in on demand like a favor.
2