What If Uncle Jim Is Under Audit or Your Client Wants to Give You a Porsche? Ethical Issues When There Is a Personal Connection with a Client
When a client, or prospective client, seeks legal advice, a lawyer is expected to provide candid, objective, and competent assistance. In providing that assistance, a lawyer wears several hats, which can include: advocate, counselor, problem solver, officer of the court, spokesperson, negotiator, defender, and, perhaps, even hired gun. While each engagement is unique and raises its own issues, a practitioner must always be mindful of, and guided by, ethical and professional considerations. ...