LEO: Conflict of Interest -  LE Op. 758

 

Conflict of Interest - Collections-Former

Clients - Change in Firm Membership.

 

January 13, 1986

 

An attorney represented a client against which a judgment was obtained.

Thereafter the attorney joined a law firm which now seeks to enforce the

judgment it obtained. Since the first attorney is disqualified from

representation in efforts to collect the judgment against his former

clients, the entire firm is similarly disqualified absent full disclosure

to and consent by the former clients. The current collections effort is

both substantially related to the past representation and materially

adverse to the former clients. [See LE Op. 622, DR:5-105(D) and (E)]

 

Committee Opinion January 13, 1986