ISBA Professional Conduct Advisory Opinion No. 12-15
Topic: Confidentiality
Digest of the ISBA:
“Use of a lawyer listserv or bar association online discussion group can be a useful and effective means to educate lawyers and can provide a resource when lawyers engage in research and decision-making. However, when lawyers consult with other lawyers who are not associated with them in the matter, both the consulting lawyer and the consulted lawyer must take care to protect client confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege and take care to avoid creating a conflict of interest with existing clients. In addition, an online discussion group is not a substitute for the consulting lawyer’s legal research.”
References:
Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules 1.0(e), 1.1, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.9;
ABA Formal Ethics Op. 98-411 (1998);
Maine Ethics Op. 171 (1999);
Oregon Formal Ethics Op. 2011-184 (2011).
The full text is available at http://www.isba.org…