Ethics Flashcards
Assist elements.
- knowingly
- assisting or inducing
- another in violating or attempting to violate the RPCs
Attempt elements
- Attempting
- To violate the RPC
Using elements
- Using
- the acts of another
- to violate the RPC
Criminal act violation elements
- Committing a criminal act
- that reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or
fitness as a lawyer in other respects
Stating improper influence violation elements
- Stating or implying
- an ability to improperly influence a government agency or official or achieve results by illegal or unethical means
Dishonesty elements
- Engaging in conduct
- involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation.
Prejudicing administration of justice elements
- Engaging in conduct
- prejudicial to the administration of justice
Assisting a judicial conduct violation elements
- Knowingly
- assisting
- a judge or judicial officer
- in violating rules of judicial conduct or
other law
Harassment/discrimination elements
- Engaging in
- Unlawful (CALIFORNIA only)
- harassment or discrimination in conduct
- related to the practice of law
- on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or socioeconomic status.
Permitting discrimination elements
ABA: not a violation
Cal:
1. permitting
2. unlawful
3. discrimination
4. in relation to a law firm’s operations
Failure to notify of other harassment/discrimination proceedings elements
ABA: not a violation
Cal:
1. lawyer is a subject of a disciplinary proceeding
2. alleging a harassment/discrimination rule violation
3. failed to promptly notify the State Bar of a criminal, civil, or administrative action premised on the same conduct.
Improper representation scope limitation elements
-unreasonable
-informed consent lacking
Failing to abide by client’s decision elements
- Client made a decision
- On whether to settle or not, plead guilty or not, waive a criminal jury trial or not, testify in a criminal case or not
- lawyer didn’t abide by that decision
Client assist elements
- counseling or assisting
- a client
- in conduct
- that the lawyer knows is criminal or fraudulent (or, in CALIFORNIA, violates a court rule or writing)
What is a client?
Someone with whom a lawyer has a lawyer-client relationship?
How is a lawyer-client relationship created?
-express creation
-implied creation
-court appointment
Implied lawyer-client relationship creation elements
- a person seeks legal advice or services
- from a lawyer
- in the lawyer’s professional capacity
- the lawyer fails to make clear that he does not want to undertake the representation
- the lawyer knows or should know that the prospective client is reasonably relying on the lawyer to provide the services
Failing to inform about conflict of law elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal:
1. A lawyer counsels a client
2. to rely upon a California law
3. that the lawyer knows conflicts with a federal or tribal law
4. the lawyer doesn’t inform the client about that conflict
Failure to decline/withdraw elements
WAY ONE:
1. a client insists on illegal or unethical assistance
2. the lawyer doesn’t withdraw from representation
WAY TWO:
1. a lawyer discovers that a client is using the lawyer’s services to commit a crime or fraud
2. the lawyer doesn’t withdraw
WAY THREE:
1. The representation will result in violation of the RPC or other law
2. the lawyer doesn’t decline or withdraw
WAY FOUR:
1. the lawyer’s physical or mental condition substantially impairs the lawyer’s ability to represent the client
2. the lawyer doesn’t decline or withdraw
WAY FIVE:
1. lawyer is discharged by the client
2. the lawyer doesn’t withdraw
WAY SIX:
1. a conflict becomes apparent
2. after representation has commenced
3. informed consent of the affected client(s) will not solve the problem
4. the lawyer doesn’t withdraw
WAY SEVEN:
1. a conflict of interest is apparent
2. before a lawyer takes on a client’s matter
3. the lawyer fails to address the conflict (if possible) AND must takes on the matter
Failing to maintain a normal lawyer-client relationship with a diminished capacity client
ABA:
1. a client’s capacity to make adequately considered decisions
2. in connection with the representation
3. is diminished
4. the lawyer fails to, as far as reasonably possible, maintain a normal lawyer-client relationship with the client
Cal: doesn’t exist
Failing to take protective action elements
ABA:
1. a client has diminished capacity
2. and faces a risk of substantial physical, financial, or other harm
3. the lawyer fails to take reasonable actions to protect the client
Cal: doesn’t exist
Failing to communicate fees elements
ABA:
1. A lawyer
2. fails to communicate the basis or rate of the fee and the expenses for which the client will be responsible
3. before or within a reasonable time after commencing a representation
Cal: doesn’t exist
To what is “Regularly Represented Client” a defense?
ABA: Failing to communicate fees
Cal: doesn’t exist
Regularly represented client elements
ABA:
1. the lawyer regularly represents the client
2. and will be charging the same basis or rate as in other matters
Cal: doesn’t exist
Fee agreement enforceability condition beyond normal contract law
National: none
Cal: it is reasonably foreseeable that the total expense to the client (including legal fees) will exceed $1,000, the fee agreement must be in writing to be enforceable.
Exceptions:
-corporate client
-written waiver
-The legal services are the same kind of services that the client has previously received and paid for
-The lawyer acted in an emergency to protect the client’s rights
-A writing is impractical for other reasons.
Unreasonable fees elements
- A lawyer
- makes an agreement for, charges, or collects
- an unreasonable (in CALIFORNIA, illegal or unconscionable instead) fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses
Failing to refund elements
- A lawyer
- requires her fee to be paid in advance, 3. she is fired or withdraws
- she fails to refund any unearned part of the advance
Charging non-refundable fees elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal:
1. A lawyer
2. makes an agreement for, charges, or collects
3. a fee
4. that is denominated as “nonrefundable,” “earned on receipt,” or in similar terms
5. Neither is the fee a true retainer (paid solely to ensure the lawyer’s availability); nor did the client agree in writing after disclosure that she will not be entitled to any refund.
Unreasonable contingent fee use elements
ABA: no, except civil cases NOT domestic violence or divorce
California:
1. a lawyer
2. uses a contingent fee
3. when the facts of the case make it unreasonable to do so
NOTE: contingency fees in criminal, domestic violence, or divorce cases
Improperly disclosed contingent fee arrangement elements
-not in a writing signed by the client
-the writing didn’t state how the fee is to be calculated, including the percentage that the lawyer will get if the
case is settled before trial, won after trial, or won after appeal;
-the writing didn’t state what expenses are to be deducted from the recovery;
-the writing didn’t state whether deductions for expenses will be made before or after the contingent fee is
calculated;
-the writing didn’t state what expenses the client must pay, whether or not she wins the case
-the writing didn’t state that the lawyer’s percentage is not set by law and can be negotiated between the lawyer and client (CALIFORNIA only)
-the writing didn’t state how the client will be charged for work not covered by the contingency (CALIFORNIA only)
-at the end of a contingent fee case, the lawyer failed to give the client a written statement showing the outcome of the case, the remittance to the client, and how the remittance was calculated
Note: in california this isn’t an ethics violation, it just allows the client to void the agreement, in which case the lawyer is entitled to collect a reasonable fee for services rendered
Improper bill pooling elements
- two or more lawyers
- from different firms
- work together on a case
- The lawyers submit a single bill to the client
- and then split it
- The total fee is unreasonable
OR the split was not in proportion to the services performed by each lawyer and each lawyer did not assume joint responsibility for the matter (this one is NOT a possibility in CALIFORNIA),
OR the client did not agree to the split in a writing that disclosed the share each lawyer will receive
OR the total fee charged by all lawyers was increased solely by reason of the agreement to divide fees (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
Failing to comply with mandatory fee resolution proceedings
- A lawyer
- fails to comply with a mandatory procedure
- for resolving fee disputes
Improper withdrawal elements
- A lawyer
- Withdraws
- When ordered not to do so OR when one of the following situations is NOT present:
-it would be an RPC violation to NOT withdraw
-the client persists in a course of action involving the lawyer’s services that the lawyer reasonably believes is criminal or fraudulent
-The client has used the lawyer’s services to perpetrate a crime or fraud
-The client fails substantially to fulfill an obligation to the lawyer regarding the lawyer’s services (e.g., paying bills) and has been given reasonable warning that the lawyer will withdraw unless the obligation is fulfilled
-The representation has been rendered unreasonably difficult by the client
-A client insists upon taking action that the lawyer considers repugnant or with which the lawyer has a fundamental disagreement (not in CALIFORNIA)
-The representation will result in an unreasonable financial burden on the lawyer (not in CALIFORNIA)
-Withdrawal can be accomplished without material adverse effect on the interests of the client (not in CALIFORNIA)
-Other good cause for withdrawal exists
-the client knowingly and freely assents to termination of representation (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
-A continuation of the representation is likely to result in a violation of the Cal. RPC or State Bar Act (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
-The lawyer’s mental or physical condition renders it difficult for the lawyer to carry out the representation effectively (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
-The client insists on presenting a frivolous claim or defense, or taking a frivolous position, or making a frivolous demand in a nonlitigation matter (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
-The lawyer’s inability to work with co counsel indicates that the best interests of the client likely will be served by withdrawal (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
Failing to protect client’s interests upon representation termination elements
Upon termination of representation, a lawyer fails to take steps to the extent reasonably practicable to protect a client’s interests
Failing to retain convicted client’s files elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal:
1. criminal case
2. involving a serious or violent felony
3. where the client has been sentenced to at least 15 years in prison,
4. trial counsel
5. fails to retain a copy of the former client’s files
6. for the term of the client’s imprisonment
Confidentiality duty breach elements
- a lawyer
- voluntarily
- reveals information
- relating to the representation of a client
Confidentiality duty breach defenses
-consent
-disclosure is impliedly authorized in order to carry out the representation
-death or substantial bodily harm
-crime or fraud (not in CALIFORNIA)
-compliance with court order or other law
-establishing a claim or defense
-obtaining confidential legal advice about the lawyer’s personal duty to comply with legal ethics rules (not in CALIFORNIA)
-detecting and resolving conflicts of interest (not in CALIFORNIA)
Failing to act competently to preserve confidentiality elements
- A lawyer
- fails to make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to a client’s representation
Death or substantial bodily harm defense elements
- she reasonably believes disclosure necessary
- to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm
- that is also a criminal act (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
- (if reasonable under the circumstances) she made a good faith effort to persuade the client: (1) not to commit or continue the criminal act (if the client is the one who will be committing the crime) and/or (2) to pursue a course of conduct that will prevent the threatened death or substantial bodily harm (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
- The lawyer informs the client of the lawyer’s ability or decision to reveal the client’s information (CALIFORNIA ONLY)
crime/fraud defense elements
ABA:
1. she reasonably believes disclosure necessary
2. to prevent the client from committing a crime or fraud
3. that is reasonably certain to cause substantial financial loss to a person
4. the client is using or has used the lawyer’s services to commit the crime or fraud, or necessary to rectify or mitigate the financial loss
Cal: doesn’t exist
compliance with a court order or other law defense
- she reasonably believes disclosure necessary
- to comply with a court order or other law
Establishing a claim or defense defense elements
- the lawyer reasonably believes disclosure necessary
- to establish a claim or defense
- on behalf of the lawyer
- in a controversy
- between the lawyer and the client
- to establish a defense to a criminal charge or civil claim against the lawyer based upon conduct in which the client was involved, or to respond to allegations in any proceeding concerning the lawyer’s representation of the client
Obtaining confidential ethics advice defense elements
ABA:
1. she reasonably believes disclosure necessary
2. to obtain confidential legal advice
3. about the lawyer’s personal duty to comply with legal ethics rules
Cal: doesn’t exist
Detecting and resolving conflicts of interest defense elements
ABA:
1. she reasonably believes disclosure necessary
2. to detect and resolve conflicts of interest
3. arising from her change of employment or from changes in a law firm’s composition or ownership
Cal: doesn’t exist
Failing to separate funds elements
- a lawyer receives money
- in connection with a representation (CALIFORNIA: or for the benefit of a third person to whom the lawyer owes a legal duty)
- fails to promptly place it in a client trust account,
- separate from the lawyer’s own personal and business accounts
- maintained in California, or, with the client’s written consent, in a different jurisdiction with which the client has a substantial relationship
To what are Bank Service Charges a defense?
Failing to properly separate funds
Bank service charges elements
- a lawyer may put some of her own money into a client trust account
- for the sole purpose of paying bank service charges
Misappropriation of client advances
- a client entrusts the lawyer with an advance
- against legal fees
- that the lawyer has not yet earned, or against costs and expenses not yet incurred
- Lawyer does not put the advance must into the client trust account OR withdraws it from that account for other than fees earned or expenses incurred
To what is Flat Fee a defense?
ABA: nothing
Cal: Misappropriation of client advances
Flat fee defense to client funds misappropriation elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal:
1. a flat fee
2. deposited into the firm’s operating account
3. the lawyer discloses to the client in writing that
4. the client has a right to require that the flat fee be deposited in a client trust account until the fee is earned; and
5. The client is entitled to a refund of any unearned amount if the representation is terminated or the services are not rendered.
6. Additionally, if the flat fee exceeds $1,000, the client’s agreement and the disclosures above must be set forth in a writing signed by the client
Failure to notify of receipt of funds elements
- a lawyer receives funds, securities, or other property
- in which a client or third person has an interest,
- the lawyer fails to promptly notify the client or third person
Failure to safekeep elements
- a lawyer receives securities or other property in which a client or third person has an interest
- the lawyer fails to identify them or label them, upon receipt, or fails to place them in a safe deposit box or other place of safekeeping as soon as practicable
Failure to deliver elements
- a lawyer
- fails to promptly deliver to the client or third person any funds or other property that the client or third person is entitled to receive
- upon request by the client or third person
Failure to promptly render a full accounting elements
- a lawyer
- fails to promptly render a full accounting regarding funds or other property
- that the client or third person is entitled to receive
- upon request by the client or third person
Failure to promptly distribute elements
- a lawyer
- fails to promptly distribute all portions of property
- that another claims interest in
- that interest is not in dispute
Failure to separate disputed property elements
- a lawyer
- possesses property
- in which at least two persons (one of whom may be the lawyer) claim interests
- the lawyer fails to keep separate the disputed portion
- until resolution of the dispute
Failure to keep a record elements
- a lawyer fails to keep complete records of client account funds and other property
- for a period of at least five years
- after final distribution of the property
Conflict of Interest
TWO WAYS:
WAY ONE:
The representation of the client will be directly adverse to another client who the lawyer represents in the same or a separate matter
WAY TWO:
There is a significant risk that the representation of the client will be materially limited by the lawyer’s own interest or by the lawyer’s responsibilities to another client, a former client, or a third person
What is necessary for informed consent to defeat a conflict of interest?
- The lawyer reasonably believes that she can competently and diligently represent each affected client, despite the conflict of interest
- The representation is not prohibited by law
- The representation does not involve asserting a claim by one client against another client represented by that lawyer in the same litigation (or other proceeding before a tribunal)— meaning, the lawyer cannot be on both sides of the same proceeding before a tribunal
- CALIFORNIA: the lawyer fully discloses the situation to the client in writing
- Each affected client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing. “Confirmed in writing” means either of two things: (a) the client executes a writing, or (b) the lawyer promptly records and transmits a confirmatory writing to the client after the client orally consents to the conflict. “Writing” includes electronic transmissions (e.g., e-mail)
Defenses to conflict of interest
-informed consent
-waiver as to future conflicts
Waiver as to future conflicts elements
- a client consents to conflicts that may arise in the future
- in a waiver that is comprehensive and specific
Incompetence elements
ABA:
1. When representing a client,
2. a lawyer
3. fails to act competently; that is, with the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation
Cal: doesn’t exist
Lack of diligence elements
ABA:
1. A lawyer
2. fails to act with reasonable diligence
3. in representing a client
Cal: doesn’t exist
lack of diligence or competence elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal:
1. a lawyer
2. intentionally, recklessly, repeatedly, or with gross negligence
3. fails to perform legal services
4. with reasonable competence or diligence
5. not a minor, isolated act
Failure to explain matter to client elements
- A lawyer
- fails to explain a matter
- to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation
Failing to disclose lack of professional liability insurance to client elements
ABA: doesn’t exist
Cal, TWO WAYS:
WAY ONE:
1. a lawyer
2. does not have professional liability insurance
3. fails to inform the client
4. in writing
5. at the time of engagement
WAY TWO:
1. a lawyer
3. ceases to have professional
liability insurance
3. during the representation
4. fails to inform the client
5. within 30 days
Defenses to failing to disclose lack of professional liability insurance to client
-The representation will not exceed four hours (if it subsequently exceeds four hours, the disclosure must be made).
-The lawyer is acting in the course of his direct employment with a government agency or as in-house counsel
-The lawyer is rendering legal services in an emergency to avoid foreseeable prejudice to the client’s rights or interests
Failing to inform client elements
TWO WAYS:
WAY ONE:
1. A lawyer
2. fails to keep a client reasonably informed
3. about the status of the matter
WAY TWO:
1. a lawyer
2. fails to promptly inform the client of a decision or circumstance
3. that requires the client’s informed consent