DESCRIPTION
Drafting Waivers of Conflicts of Interest
A bedrock principle of lawyer ethics is that lawyers owe their clients loyalty, free of conflicts of interest unless those conflicts are waived by a client in writing. Clients are entitled to zealous representation without the lawyer being conflicted by other representations or interests. When a conflict arises, the lawyer is required to decline the representation unless the conflict is waived by the client. But waivers are not always easily accomplished. They must be carefully drafted, particularly when it purports to be of an anticipated conflict, not an existing conflict. This program will provide you with a practical guide to the rules governing conflict waivers, types of waivers, and drafting tips.
- Key provisions of waivers and ensuring there is “informed” consent
- Advance waivers – drafting waivers for anticipated conflicts
- Types of advance waivers – stating subject area, adverse parties, neither or both
- Sources of rules and practical guidance on drafting waivers
- Common mistakes made in drafting waivers
- Consequences of ineffective waivers
Speaker:
Elizabeth Treubert Simon is an ethics attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where she advises on a wide range of ethics and compliance-related matters to support Akin Gump’s offices worldwide. Previously, her practice focused on business and commercial litigation and providing counsel to clients regarding professional ethics and attorney disciplinary procedures. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Professional Discipline and the District of Columbia Rules of Professional Conduct Rules Review Committee. She is the immediate past chair of the District of Columbia Legal Ethics Committee. She writes and speaks extensively on attorney ethics issues. She received her B.A. and M.S. from the University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. from Albany Law School.
Disclaimer: All views or opinions expressed by any presenter during the course of this CLE is that of the presenter alone and not an opinion of the Oklahoma Bar Association, the employers, or affiliates of the presenters unless specifically stated. Additionally, any materials, including the legal research, are the product of the individual contributor, not the Oklahoma Bar Association. The Oklahoma Bar Association makes no warranty, express or implied, relating to the accuracy or content of these materials.