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Client'S Interests Should Take Precedence Over Those of The Lawyer
Client'S Interests Should Take Precedence Over Those of The Lawyer
Advocacy & Professional Ethics – WEEK 4 – the nature of lawyer client relationship
PROFESSIONAL RULES
Bar Code of Conduct 2015
- C3: lawyer-client relationship
- CD2: must act in the best interests of each client
- CD6: must keep the affairs of each client confidential
- CD7: must provide a competent standard of work and service to each client
Solicitors Code of Conduct 2011
- Principle 4: must act in the best interests of each client
- Principle 5: must provide a proper standard of service to your clients
Marks & Spencer plc v Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer [2004] EWHC 1337 (Ch); [2004] EWCA Civ 741
- Collins J: difficulty in putting an effective informational barrier in place due to the volume of people
who had worked on the projects
- Herring: decision should be treated with care:
- An application by a former client to prevent the firm from acting
- M&S had been a major client of Freshfields and many of the firm’s solicitors had been
involved in this work at some point
- Not a friendly takeover bid.
Koch Shipping Inc v Richards Butler (A Firm) [2002] EWCA Civ 1280
- Single solicitor of integrity’
LEGAL PRIVILEGE
- All communications between lawyers and clients, and documents prepared for the purposes of
litigation, must not be disclosed to others without consent of the client
Three Rivers District Council v Governor and Company of the Bank of England (No. 6) [2004] UKHL 48;
[2005] 1 AC 610
- Legal advice privilege: all communications between lawyer and client concerning the giving
and receiving of legal advice; and
- Litigation privilege: communications between lawyer and someone else connected to the
preparation for litigation.
Nederlandse Reassurantie Groep Holding NV v Bacon & Woodrow [1995] 1 All ER 976
- Herring: court will not be willing to separate out parts which are legal and parts which are not.
Barclays Bank v Eustice [1995] 4 All ER 511
-Schiemann LJ: clients should be encouraged to seek advice on matters which may border on illegality
Criminal Activity
- s10(2) Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984: privilege does not apply to ‘items held with the intent
of furthering a criminal purpose’
- Francis and Francis v Central Criminal Court [1989] AC 346
- ‘Intent’ could be that of anyone and need not be of the solicitor or client
- Re McE [2009] UKHL 15
- Lord Phillips: not an exception as criminal communications are not part of giving legal advice
Public Interest
- Attorney General v Guardian Newspapers Ltd (No. 2) [1990] 1 AC 109
- Must weigh up interest in maintaining confidence and interest in disclosing
Statute
- Part II Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
- Covert surveillance of privileged communications
- PACE 1984
- Money laundering
- Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
- Terrorism Act 2000
Mediation
- Protected by confidentiality but not by legal professional privilege
- Parties must discuss such matters beforehand
Client-Lawyer Litigation
- Lawyer can use material which is otherwise confidential
- Need to be able to defend allegations
Joint Retainers
- Material disclosed to both parties
- Boon: legal professional privilege and doctrine of confidentiality are under attack
- Two justifications:
- Proceedings relating to children are not really adversarial and thus no need to maintain
privilege.
- Need to protect the public interest.
SUMMARY
Today we;
- Discussed conflicts of interest between existing and proposed clients or a lawyer’s own interest.
- Explained the professional rules on confidentiality and privilege.
- Explained the exceptions to the rules on confidentiality and privilege.