Originally posted by beatz
Yeah but as this can *always* happen ( you never know) i would like to be sure that if this would happen ( not parting on good terms ) my ex lawyer would still be bound to some nondisclosure thing, or even better would not disclose anything simply just out of business ethics principles.
Important issue. The duty of confidentiality does bind a lawyer after the conclusion of the relationship, however, it does not cover everything the lawyer learned in the course of the relationship. A lawyer is ethically bound to keep secret the content of any communication that was actually confidential, and which has been kept confidential by the client. To fit this definition, the communication has to take place at a
private meeting or in a letter, email or memorandum that is distributed
only to the person or persons who need to have that confidential information. If the information is intentionally circulated beyond such persons, the privilege is
waived. The privilege is usually not waived by an unintentional disclosure, and is certainly not waived if someone exploits a security weakness by stealing email or correspondence, or eavesdropping, tapping phones and such. (Although for Federal government prosecutions the rules have totally changed post 9-11.)
To dramatize an intentional waiver situation, let's assume for sake of illustration that Jake comes out of a meeting with his lawyer and tells Anna the receptionist, "Yeah, I just admitted to your boss that I forged the check, but he thinks he can get me off." The receptionist is dating the local DA, and passes on the information. At trial, the DA confronts Jake, who has decided to testify that he did not sign the check. The court stenographer records the tragic results:
DA: Didn't you tell Anna Maria Vesuvius, your lawyer's receptionist, that you told her boss that you did sign the check?
Jake's Lawyer: Objection, your honor, he's repeating a privileged communication.
DA: Your honor, the privilege was waived when the defendant related the communication to Ms. Vesusius.
Jake's Lawyer: You honor, Ms. Vesuvius is part of my staff. A communication to her about of legal matter is covered by the privilege.
Judge: Really? Was the communication necessary to the rendering of legal services?
Jake's Lawyer: stammer stammer
Judge: Objection overruled. Answer the question.
Jake: No, I didn't say it, and I didn't sign the check.
DA: Your honor, I call Ms. Anna Maria Vesusius.
Jake's Lawyer: Objection!
Judge: Overruled.
Obviously things will now go badly for Jake, when he is found not only to be a forger, but also a liar.
As far as obtaining protection from having a former lawyer write about you on message boards, that should be dealt with in a separate confidentiality agreement that could be incorporated into the client retainer. Attorneys traditionally don't include such provisions, and clients who want this protection will have to ask for it, and get it in a writing signed by the lawyer. Then it will be as enforceable as any other confidentiality agreement.
That said, you are probably safer from an embarassing disclosure because most lawyers cultivate basic discretion and try to preserve the privacy of their former clients.
A word unspoken is rarely missed, and as an old Sufi saying goes, "A man slips more with his mouth than with his feet."