Professional Documents
Culture Documents
200-Pirie - Law 360 - Midterm
200-Pirie - Law 360 - Midterm
HOUSE
Table of Contents
THEORIES, CONCEPTS, SOURCES OF LEGAL ETHICS...............................................................................................................6
TRANSPARENCY TEST........................................................................................................................................................6
A. Philosophy of Ethics......................................................................................................................................................6
B. What Does it Mean to be an Ethical Lawyer?................................................................................................................6
1. Zealous Advocacy (Loyalty)........................................................................................................................................6
Alice Wooley – “In Defence of Zealous Advocacy”.......................................................................................................7
R v Neil – the elements of the Duty of Loyalty...............................................................................................................7
Szarfer v Chodos – lawyer must not use client information for their own benefit.........................................................7
2. Moral Agent in Pursuit of Justice...............................................................................................................................7
R v Murray – fierce loyalty to a client may result in usurping justice.............................................................................7
David Luban – “The Adversary Excuse”.........................................................................................................................7
3. Personal Integrity.....................................................................................................................................................7
Trevor Farrow – “Sustainable Professionalism”............................................................................................................7
Spalding v Zimmerman – unacceptable to act in best interests of client if it causes danger to opponent.....................8
LAWYER-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP............................................................................................................................................8
A. Formation of the Relationship......................................................................................................................................8
1. Advertising, Fee Sharing and Solicitation...................................................................................................................8
Advertising....................................................................................................................................................................8
Fee Sharing.................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Solicitation.....................................................................................................................................................................8
Merchant – Solicitation that is exploitive is contrary to the model code (misleading, bad taste, offensive)..................9
2. Choice of Client.........................................................................................................................................................9
Moral Non-Accountability versus “Taking it Personally”...............................................................................................9
Client Selection and Discrimination...............................................................................................................................9
3. Accessibility of Legal Services...................................................................................................................................9
Administration of Justice...............................................................................................................................................9
Pro Bono...................................................................................................................................................................... 10
4. Triggering the Lawyer-Client Relationship...............................................................................................................10
Descoteaux v Mierzwinski – relationship arises from “first dealings” with office to retain advice..............................10
B. Competence and Quality of Service............................................................................................................................10
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Law Society of Saskatchewan v Merchant - The legislative intent of the Legal Profession Act allows law society
access to confidential materials..................................................................................................................................15
ETHICS IN ADVOCACY..........................................................................................................................................................15
A. Visions of the Advocate...............................................................................................................................................15
B. Ethics in Pre-Trial Procedures......................................................................................................................................15
1. Pleadings................................................................................................................................................................. 15
DCB v Zellers Inc (1996) – it is unethical to make unmeritous threats to sue...............................................................15
2. Discovery................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Grossman v Toronto General Hospital – parties have ethical obligation to make careful search of all relevant
documentation; counsel must make inquiries.............................................................................................................16
3. Negotiation (and ADR).............................................................................................................................................16
C. Ethics at Trial...............................................................................................................................................................16
1. Witness Preparation................................................................................................................................................16
Sanctions for misconduct in witness preparation........................................................................................................16
R v Sweezey - Potential avenues for sanctioning misconduct of an advocate.............................................................16
2. Cross-Examination...................................................................................................................................................16
R v Lyttle (2004 SCC) – the scope of an advocate’s ethical conduct in the context of cross-examination of the
opposing witness: counsel granted a wide latitude wrt x-examination, so long as it is done in good faith; NO
baseless claims tho......................................................................................................................................................16
R v R (AJ) (1994 ONCA) – the scope of the crown counsel’s ethics in the context of crow-examining the accused –
must not be improper, abusive, based on negative personal opinion..........................................................................17
3. Representation About the Law................................................................................................................................17
GM v Isaac Estate – silence wrt to a binding precedent is unethical...........................................................................17
4. Advocacy and Civility...............................................................................................................................................17
Alice Woolley - “Does Civility Matter?”.......................................................................................................................17
Schreiber v Mulroney – lying to opposing counsel is unethical....................................................................................17
Law Society BC v Laarakker (hearing panel)- unethical to make discourteous personal remarks re another lawyer...18
DUTY OF LOYALTY AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST................................................................................................................18
A. Client-Client Conflicts..................................................................................................................................................18
1. Duties to Former Clients..........................................................................................................................................18
MacDonald Estate v Martin (SCC) – conflict is based on impartation confidential info TWO-PART TEST:...................18
2. Duties to Current Clients.........................................................................................................................................19
R v Neil (SCC)- articulation of duty of loyalty; conflict is based on loyalty. Bright line TEST.........................................19
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You should ask yourself always, would you be comfortable with your actions and decisions being transparent? Can
you justify your actions and decisions if you knew that everyone would be fully aware of them?
A. Philosophy of Ethics
1. Virtue Ethics: Ethical actions arise where the person both possesses the virtue and exercises practical
judgement
2. Utilitarian: The most ethical action is the one that is likely to do the most good (Consequentialism)
3. Kantian Deontology: the only principles which should guide your actions are those which could also hold as
universal law, that is, those that could apply to every other free reasoning person
4. Post-Modernism: that the world is unknowable; any description of the world is derived from the subjective
reality of the individual. Ethical decisions must be made through individual judgement and moral intuitions
5. Pluralism: there are various values and that there are various ways of identifying which values are important.
The code is only a guide and additional sources of ethical laws exist but are not present in the Code including case law
and legislation, law society disciplinary decisions, and principles or “norms” of the profession.
2.1 Canons of Legal Ethics
These Canons of Legal Ethics in rules 2.1-1 to 2.1-5 are a general guide and not a denial of the existence
of other duties equally imperative and of other rights, though not specifically mentioned. A version of
these Canons has formed part of the Code of Professional Conduct of the Law Society of British Columbia
since 1921. They are included here both for their historical value and for their statement of general
principles that underlie the remainder of the rules in this Code.
A lawyer is a minister of justice, an officer of the courts, a client’s advocate and a member of an ancient,
honourable and learned profession.
In these several capacities, it is a lawyer’s duty to promote the interests of the state, serve the cause of
justice, maintain the authority and dignity of the courts, be faithful to clients, be candid and courteous in
relations with other lawyers and demonstrate personal integrity
The law society have broad general powers to prohibit the actions of its membership, (such as
prohibiting the type of advertising it allows.) Decisions are based on the concern about lawyers conduct
contrary to the best interests of the public that may bring the profession into disrepute (Jabour)
The role of a lawyer is that of neutral partisanship; their role justifies their actions:
“the role of the lawyer is not to substitute her moral judgement for that of the client, nor is it to simply do the client’s
bidding regardless of what the legal system itself requires. Instead, the lawyers obligation is to assist her client to pursue
the client’s legal ends and to do so in a manner consistent with what the legal system itself requires” (wooley et al)
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Szarfer v Chodos – lawyer must not use client information for their own benefit
Lawyer slept with client’s wife, after learning of vulnerabilities of marriage and client’s psychological issues.
Only focussing on loyalty to the client may be to blame for the moral malaise and unethical conduct within the
profession
A lawyer who focuses exclusively on the interests of her client may improperly lose sight of other moral values
3. Personal Integrity
Singular, normative approaches may not fully capture the moral complexity of the legal and ethical framework that
governs Canadian lawyers. Integrity is the response to the problem of conflict between professional and personal
morality.
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Spalding v Zimmerman – unacceptable to act in best interests of client if it causes danger to opponent
Lawyer withheld medical report of Ps that showed P had aortal aneurysm (imminent danger of death) that P
didn’t know about. Judge set aside the settlement on this basis
LAWYER-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
A. Formation of the Relationship
Core dilemma: is the tension between the two versions of the lawyer: beneficiaries of a monopoly (obligation to
ensure accessibility) vs business persons (normal rules of free market)
Advertising
May market services so long as they are true, not misleading, confusing, deceptive, and they are in the best
interests of the public and of a high standard of professionalism. (Model Code)
can use word aggressive to advertise services (BC Code)
may advertise fees so long as they are reasonable, states other amounts like disbursements in addition to the
fees, and the lawyer strictly adheres to those fees (Model Code)
Fee Sharing
lawyer must not share, split, divide fees with a person who isn’t a lawyer (Model Code)
o does not apply to partnership agreements that allow fee sharing, interprovincial law frorms
o RATIONALE: non-lawyers are not held to the same legislated ethical standard; it may create a exploitive
situation for potential clients.
section doesn’t prevent a lawyer from engaging in promotional activities (MC Commentary)
if a lawyer refers a matter to another lawyer, may charge a referral fee so long as it is reasonable and the client
is informed of this fee. (Model Code)
Solicitation
May make legal services “available to the public in an efficient and convenient manner that will command
respect, confidence and by means that are compatible with the integrity, independence and effectiveness of the
profession” (Model Code)
“marketing activities” (includes any communication or promotion with or towards a prospective client) must
not be: false, inaccurate, capable of misleading, in bad taste, offensive, such as that it would be inimical to the
best interests of the public or tending to harm the standing of the legal profession (MC)
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Merchant – Solicitation that is exploitive is contrary to the model code (misleading, bad taste, offensive)
Merchant sent letters to res school survivors he didn’t know that stated that almost everyone was abused
culturally and implied they had “nothing to lose, did not disclose length and rigours or magnitude of a trial and
requested that recipients give him other people’s information on a confidential basis. Held to be unlawful.
2. Choice of Client
Core dilemma: Obligation to provide legal access vs right to decline representation (both in the MC)
Core Dilemma: tension between provisions encouraging access and for right to decline representation (MC)
“the ethical question of client selection is inextricably linked to the ethical question of access to justice”
AtoJ is getting more difficult rather than less difficult b/c of:
o Legal fees
o Sheer complexity of the law
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Administration of Justice
A lawyer must encourage public respect for and try to improve the administration of justice. (MC 4.06)
“Admission to and continuance in the practice of law implies, on the part of a lawyer, a basic commitment to the
concept of equal justice”. (MC Commentary)
Pro Bono
Law Society encourages lawyers to do pro bono work to adhere to the spirit of access to justice. (MC s 3.01(1))
There is a tension between access to justice and the right to decline representation
The current permissive approach to pro bono is “ethically anemic” because there is no real duty or obligation
imposed
Definition of “client” provides that the relationship is triggered consultation occurs and the lawyer renders or
agrees to render legal services, OR having consulted a lawyer, the person concludes that the lawyer has agreed
to render legal services- MC
BUT: communications with lawyer or her office and/or staff = relationships and still subject to privilege
Descoteaux v Mierzwinski – relationship arises from “first dealings” with office to retain advice
Application for legal aid is subject to privilege because the relationship was formed from filling out the app
QUALITY OF SERVICE
Model Code: “Quality of Service” – lawyer has a duty to provide courteous, thorough and prompt service.
COMPETENCE
Model Code: “competent lawyer” means a lawyer who has and applies relevant skills, attributes, and values in
a manner appropriate to each matter undertaken on behalf of a client including
Knowledge of legal principles, substantive law relevant to area of practice
Investigates facts, identifies issues and client objectives, advises client on action
implements, chosen course of action through the application of appropriate skills, including,
(i) legal research,
(ii) analysis,
(iii) application of the law to the relevant facts,
(iv) writing and drafting,
(v) negotiation,
(vi) alternative dispute resolution,
(vii) advocacy, and
(viii) problem-solving ability,
communicates at all stages of a matter in a timely and effective manner
working conscientiously, diligently, and in a timely and cost effective way
Complies with Code
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2. Cultural Competence
Nothing explicit in the code but implicit in Principle 1 (Integrity) and Principle 5.03 (Harassment and Discrimination)
R. v Fraser – failing to challenge jury selection in case where race is a major factor = incompetence
Court held that accused did not receive fair trial - as his lawyer’s representation fell below what is reasonably
expected of a lawyer, including: took a sworn affidavit from accd that was not necessary and gave ammo to the
crown, failed to interview key corroborating witnesses, did not prep the accd for X examination, and did not
challenge the jury selection, as was his right based on black accd and white alleged victim.
1. The Retainer
OBLIGATORY
o MC s 2.07(7):
If discharged by client
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Brace v Canada (Customs and Revenue Agency)- the lawyer-client relationship is like a marriage
Alice Woolley’s “The Virtues and Limits of the Representation of the “Man-in-trouble”: Some Reflections on Jian
Gomeshi and Legal Ethics” – Issues about Withdrawal should be assessed in light of client dignity, access to
justice
Client Dignity: To decline representation tells an accused that their story is so invaluable that its not worth
hearing. Even though Jian likely lied to the firm, the withdrawal of services is optional under the Code (“serious
loss of confidence”). Doesn’t require withdrawal.
Access to Justice: The broader social significance of this case is Access to Justice; declining to represent Gomeshi
would deprive him of access to justice
The Ethical Tension: the issues ($50M lawsuit against CBC – (potentially unmeritious, frivolous, vexatious
claims) AND the non-disclosure to police of evidence given Gomeshi gave them might be a crime – must not act
criminally in pursuit of client interests) create a tension between the lawyers’ obligation to Gomeshi as their
client and the opposing duty to themselves, the profession, justice
The Solution: Zealous Advocacy- as it upholds client dignity and access to justice.
o There are checks and balances in place in the judicial system already and the court recognized the
dilemma/tensions faces by lawyers (as demonstrated by courts unwillingness generally to impose costs
against lawyers who bring such claims)
“The injury to the moral foundations of the lawyer-cleint relationship from the lawyer precluding the client’s
access to court is too great, and the judicial process has safeguards to ameliorate much (although by no
means all) of the harm that filing of such claims can do”
Courts might have to approve; the jurisprudence is not firmly decided, varying judgements
R v Cunningham (SCC)- where court has authority to decline application for withdrawal (...not for ethical)
Legal aid EE applied for withdrawal in case of sex offence against child on the basis that he failed to update
financial info
Court must grant withdrawal if ethical reasons cited
If withdrawal is sought for financial reasons, court can exercise discretion
Court must accept reasons given at face value
In exercising discretion to decline, must consider list of non-exhaustive factors, high bar – use discretion
sparingly:
o Whether feasible for accused to represent herself
o Other means of obtaining representation
o Impact on accused from delay
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As a result of Enron (lots of lawyers involved in that disaster), Canada followed the US’s lead and enacted an “up
the ladder reporting” system, legislated in MC 3.02(8):
o A lawyer who knows that the organization she works for is acting or intends to act dishonestly,
fraudulently, criminally, illegally, must:
Advise their supervisor and the chief legal officer
Advise progressively the next highest persons or groups
If the organization continues despite the above, lawyer has to withdraw
Commentary: withdrawing in some cases may include resigning
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“The duty survives the professional relationship and continues indefinitely after the lawyer has ceased to act for
the client”
RATIONALE
Descoteaux v Mierzwinski (SCC)- lawyers do not need to keep communications for a criminal purpose in
confidence
Police lawfully seized legal aid document in part of investigation into fraudulently claiming lower income; not
subject to duty of confidence
Lawyers may disclose where the lawyer has reasonable grounds to believe that the disclosure is “necessary to prevent a
crime involving death or serious bodily harm to any person” (Model Code)
Smith v Jones (SCC) - duty of confidence over-ridden by public safety concerns in some circumstances
Whether public safety outweighs, depends on three factors:
1. clarity of danger
2. Seriousness of harm
3. Imminence of harm
Psychiatric report that indicated high likelihood and escalating re-offence of aggravated sexual assault tendered
for evidence and duty of confidence over-ridden b/c of public safety concern
R v McClure (SCC)- fairness to accused may over-ride duty of confidence in some circumstances
Whether fairness to accused over-rides will depend on two-part test:
1. accd must show evid. basis for belief that client-lawyer comm to raise reasonable doubt of guilt
2. If 1 satisfied, judge looks at it to determine if it should be tendered as evidence at trial
Accd not successful in trying to over-ride duty of confidence of complaintant and lawyer to have production of
civil litigation file tendered as evidence of fabrication of complaint
4. Access to materials under Access Act &The Rule in Descoteaux – “Absolute Necessity”
Goodis v Ontario (Ministry of Correctional Services)- access must be absolutely necessary in order to achieve the
ends sought by the legislation.
Journalist denied access to records regarding allegations of sex abuse of offenders by their probation officers
because they were not absolutely necessary – other means existed.
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Law Society of Saskatchewan v Merchant - The legislative intent of the Legal Profession Act allows law society
access to confidential materials
Law society granted access by court; from investigation arising from client’s former wife regarding a his
settlement; Merchant was supposed to pay court settlement amount to secure client’s child support obligations.
ETHICS IN ADVOCACY
A. Visions of the Advocate
The centrality of her interests varies depending on which version of the advocate one subscribed to
When “acting as an advocate”, lawyer must “represent the client resolutely and honourably within the limits of
the law, while treating the tribunal with candour, fairness, courtesy and respect” Model Code Rule 4.01(1)
[and] “raise fearlessly every issue, advance every argument and ask every question, however distasteful, that
the lawyer thinks will help the client’s case and to endeavour to obtain for the client the benefit of every
remedy and defence authorized by law” (MC Commentary)
A advocate “is a minister of justice” who must balance and resolve competing interests. (Lord Denning)
1. Pleadings
Specific Pleading requirements: A lawyer shall not engage in an “abuse of process” by prosecuting proceedings
that are, although legal, “motivated by malice...and are brought solely for the purpose of injuring the other
party” (Rules of court)
Generally: As an advocate, must discharge duty “fairly and honourably”, “without illegality”, and “should avoid
and discourage the client from resorting to frivolous or vexatious objections” and must not knowingly permit
or assist a client in doing anything dishonest or dishonourable (MC Commentary)
Striking pleadings is a remedy to unethical behaviour (Colborne Capital Corp)
2. Discovery
Discovery is subject to significant regulation. This part of the litigation process requires parties to open their
homes, offices, secrets, etc to the scrutiny of the other side.
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Highly Vulnerable to unethical conduct (Grossman): b/c It occurs in the “hands of lawyers” entirely out of court
Grossman v Toronto General Hospital – parties have ethical obligation to make careful search of all relevant
documentation; counsel must make inquiries
The refusal to disclose documentation unless P could prove its existence is unethical and unfair; discovery
process vulnerable to significant abuse and so counsel is ethically obligated to make careful search, inquries
regarding a patient who went missing and was found dead 12 days later in a ventilation shaft
C. Ethics at Trial
1. Witness Preparation
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2. Cross-Examination
R v Lyttle (2004 SCC) – the scope of an advocate’s ethical conduct in the context of cross-examination of the
opposing witness: counsel granted a wide latitude wrt x-examination, so long as it is done in good faith; NO
baseless claims tho
Vic identified accd as the only unmasked assailant – the Defence theory was that the vic was lying to protect the
real assailant. Was aggressively X-examined, and Q arose as the extent of restraint required in X-exam
BUT: must not make absolutely baseless claims:
o “Every counsel has a duty to his client fearlessly to raise every issue, advance every argument, and ask
every question, however distasteful, which he thinks will help his client’s case. But, as an officer of the
court concered in the administration of justice, he has an overriding duty to the court, to the standards
of his profession, and to the public, which may and often does lead to a conflict with his client’s wishes or
with what the client think are his personal interests. Counsel must not mislead the court, he must not
lead himself to casting aspersions on the other partyor witnesses for which there is not sufficient basis
in the information in his possession...” (citing Rondel v Worsely 1969 Eng HL)
R v R (AJ) (1994 ONCA) – the scope of the crown counsel’s ethics in the context of crow-examining the accused –
must not be improper, abusive, based on negative personal opinion
Court allowed accds appeal in a sex abuse charge involving a child on the basis that the crown cross-examined
the accd in an abusive, improper fashion based on the crown prosecutor’s personal negative opinion, that likely
prejudiced the jury’s determination
Lawyers have a ethical obligation to inform the court about governing authorities, both positive and negative
(Rondel v Worsley; per Lord Denning – as part as the advocate’s role as a “minister of justice”)
lawyers shall not deliberately refrain from informing a tribunal of any binding authority (Model Code Rule
4.01(2)(i))
Civility in the legal context could mean 1)politeness towards others in the justice system or 2)more
substantively, to act honestly, fairly, and with integrity
Problem with the more substantive meaning is that it obscures the real ethical principles at play
Arguments For Civility:
o politeness, decency, kindness, seem like self-evidence basic moral obligations; the stuff you learn in
kindergarten.
Arguments Against Civility:
o “ethical obligations of a lawyer are not the same as those of a kindergarten student”
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o Obscuring real problems: potential to undermine the ability of law societies to fulfill their obligations to
regulate lawyers’ ethics. By elevating civility, collegiality, and courtesy as dominant professional
considerations in law, creates the impression that truth seeking is a secondary function of a lawyer
o Perpetuates discrimination: “given that the historical collegiality with which civility is often associated is
also connected to discrimination and intolerance for diversity...what constitutes ‘polite’ behaviour may
require greater tolerance of forms of expression than are countenanced by the civility movement”
o Good for client interests: Rudeness and uncomfortable speech is undertaken in the pursuit of the clients
interest and therefore incivility is good, because acting in the clients interests is good.
Law Society BC v Laarakker (hearing panel)- unethical to make discourteous personal remarks re another lawyer
Law Society Panel found lawyer to be in professional misconduct after Lawyer posted comments in internet blog
and sent fax letter to lawyer that said discourteous personal remarks
“No area of the law governing lawyers consumes more lawyer time, creates more confusion and frustration, or causes
lawyers more difficulty in their practices, than the rules governing conflicts of interests”(Alice Woolley)
A. Client-Client Conflicts
3.4-10: Unless the former client consents, a lawyer must not act against a former client in:
Commentary: allows lawyers to act against former client’s in a “fresh and independent matter wholly unrelated to any
work the lawyer has previously done for that person”
MacDonald Estate v Martin (SCC) – conflict is based on impartation confidential info TWO-PART TEST:
Sopinka: SCC disqualified firm from case for conflict of interest (part 2 of test failed – no screening). Lawyer
representing P transferred to firm representing D and had intimate knowledge of Ps case but was not assigned
to Ds case when transferred.
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TWO-STEP TEST now in Model Code Appendix D and Rules 3.4-17 to 3.4-26:
1) Did the Lawyer receive confidential information attributable to a solicitor and client relationship relevant to the
matter at hand?
once it is shown a relationship existed, strong, though rebuttable inference that confidential information was
imparted unless solicitor satisfies the court to the contrary (high burden)
Can rebut this presumption; court must be satisfied that a reasonably informed member of the public would
believe that no information passed, and lawyer must do so without revealing privileged information
2) Is there a risk that it will be used to the prejudice of the client? (failed here b/c no screening measures taken)
Assurances and undertakings (affidavits) are insufficient to show that information will not be used
Must have verifiable steps taken (cones of silence, Chinese Walls) by firm to implement screening,(eg. no
contact with lawyers working on file) (notes that this might not even be suff)
Policy Rationale:
Product of competing values:
1) Litigant should be able to choose counsel
2) Standards of the profession and justice system integrity
3) mobility within profession
Dissent (Cory)
Appearance of fairness must outweigh the idea that lawyers not likely to share
The “mega-firm” structure should not be an excuse to undercut legal ethics
R v Neil (SCC)- articulation of duty of loyalty; conflict is based on loyalty. Bright line TEST
Associated lawyer found to breach his duty of loyalty of loyalty in using position to sit in on depositions to gain
evidence to use against Neil and later heard of divorce where Neil was involved and falsified affidavits. New
layer used this info to attack Neil’s character in court (judge refuses to enter stay, remedy tbd by law society)
Duty of Loyalty, closely tied to fiduciary duty and has 3 elements:
o 1) Duty to avoid conflicting interests
o 2) duty of commitment to client interests (ZA)
o 3) duty of candour
Bright Line Test now Model Code Rule 3.4-1(6):
o Lawyer must not represent clients with immediate competing interests even if the two mandates are
unrelated, Unless:
both clients consent after receiving full disclosure (duty of candour), & preferably independent
legal advice AND
Lawyer reasonably believes that she is able to represent each client w/o adversely affecting the
other
Exception to the bright line test: implied consent of prof litigants (including gov) where no danger of conf info
being misused.
avoiding conflicts is not just about preventing conf info from being misused – about loyalty more broadly.
o THIS MATTERs because cones of silence and Chinese walls can’t address loyalty problems.
In conflict analysis, primacy given to integrity of legal profession and administration of justice over client’s
choice of lawyer and lawyer mobility
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Strothers v Monarch (SCC)- putting personal business interests before client interests is breach of duty of
loyalty
Held that senior partner Strother (at Davis) breached duty of loyalty to client Monarch by leaving Davis and
partnering with another Davis client in same business as Monarch and making massive profits, while Monarch
folded for lack of knowledge of the tax loophole that made Strother millions. Strother advised Monarch to fold.
Breached duty of candour: by failure to revisit his advice that told them to fold after he learned of the tax loop,
and by failing to disclose that he has a financial interest in an opponent company
Breached duty of ZA:by putting his personal financial interests ahead of his client Monarch
Criticism of using conflict claims for tactical purposes
Vulnerability of monarch: Strother’s specific expertise was not widely available,
Problem was not the concurrency of clients (Monarch and Darc) but the substantial and direct financial interest
Wallace v CN(2011)– justification of the professional litigant exception on duty of loyalty in Neil, based on
sophistication, resources; TEST for when exception to Neil’s Bright Line applies
Firm McKercher breached duty of loyalty by “dumping” long-time client CN (ZA breach ) and by failing to be
candid when it took on Wallace as client to sue in class action against CN. McK had 4 active files of CN when they
dumped them. CN had not told McK that it wanted exclusive representation. court does not disqualify
McKercher from representing Wallace (suggests other avenues – sue for dmgs, complain to Law Society).
TEST for exception to Neil’s Bright Line:
o 1)Client is a large corporate client such as govt or bank
o 2)Matter are sufficiently unrelated
o 3)There is no danger of confidential information being abused
o 4)Wallace ADDED – whether in the circumstances, its application is consistent with the high
standard of the legal profession and the integrity of the justice system
Implied consent with corporate clients to allow firm to represent clients with competing interests; after
the fact objections not determinative (otherwise the professional litigant exception would be meaningless)
Justification of exception for corp litigant: based on sophistication and resources; also worry that large
corps could spread out their business to materially limit opposing party’s choice of counsel
B. Lawyer-Client Conflicts
Primary Tension: self-interests, client-interests (and the interests upholding the integrity of the legal system and
administration of justice)
Lawyers are placed in many situations where their own personal interests may come into conflict with client interests:
lawyer takes possession of client assets: significant fiduciary duty. Abuses harshly punished by crts, LS.
Lawyer not sensitive to reputation/circumstances of her client(Stewart)
Lawyer develops personal relationship with client or client’s family (Chodos, Daboll)
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Stewart v CBC – breach of duty of loyalty (fiduciary duty) to exploit former client for self-promotion/financial
interest
Held that lawyer breached his fiduciary duty of loyalty by producing, narrating show aired on CBC on a highly
sensationalized negligent murder case he was counsel for (and had represented him very well, securing light
sentence, and minimizing public damage through strategizing). $5k remuneration.
Fiduciary duty of loyalty much broader than Duty of Confidentiality:
Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty to former clients remains “alive though inoperative”; duty lives on past the end of
retainer: BREACH b/c D undid the benefits and protections he secured in his initial representation of P, he took
advantage of him and the information and issues by self-promotion and financial profit
Duty of loyalty is a positive obligation.
Law Society of Upper Canada v Hunter (hearing panel) – sexual relationship with client has inherent danger
professional misconduct, potentially not reconcilable by consenting to conflict (MC 3.4 and commentary)
Lawyer found in professional conduct for failing duty to not be in conflict with client interests by having several
year-long sexual relationship with client who he was representing in divorce proceedings, then upon break-up
tried to have her sign a consent to conflict contract. Eventually went to LS with his conflict, and conceded to
wrong-doing, and cooperated in proceedings.
Sexual relationship with client is inherently dangerous, and especially so when client is vulnerable
Rationale: Sexual relationships breach duty to not to be in conflict b/c (cited from Joseph):
o Sexual relationship threatens client entitlement to independence and objectivity
o Difficult for lawyer to remain dispassionate and potential for exploitation
o Consent may be contrived due to client’s vulnerable circumstances
One of the most important services lawyers offer is providing information; Lawyers as gatekeepers to legal
knowledge
Tension: between duty to doing what is best for the client, but also respecting the autonomy of the client.
Sometimes the result is that lawyers may expressly or impliedly makes decisions re what’s best for the client
o Lawyers may not simply tell a client what they want to hear; lawyers are obliged to be honest and
candid
lawyer must be honest and candid when advising client (MC 2.02(2))
lawyer must never knowingly assist in or encourage dishonesty, fraud, crime or illegal conduct (MC 2.02(7)):
A lawyer who is employed or retained by an organization that acts dishonestly, fraudulently, criminally,
illegally, the lawyer must advise their supervisor, and if necessary, the CEO, board of directors, etc and if the
conduct continues, must withdraw (MC 2.02(8))
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LAW 360 – ETHICS – PROF. PIRIE – SPRING 2015 – M. HOUSE
Law Society of Upper Canada v Sussman (discipline committee)- counselling client to breach court order is
misconduct
Committee issues a 1 month suspension to Lawyer who counselled client to disobey an access order (wrt child
custody) even though there was no risk to kids, no immediate (or eventual application to vary the order
“...There can be no behaviour more disruptive to our system of justice and more likely to bring its administration
into disrepute than a lawyer, while representing a party to a dispute, counselling his or her client to disobey the
clear, unequivocal terms of a Court Order. To do so is to undermine the courts effectiveness, contaminate the
esteem with which it is held in the eyes of the citizenry and foment the law of the jungle”
2. Other Issues:
a) Deceiving Clients
commonly amount of work down, whether work is completed, lawyer’s availability to meet with client, lawyer’s
degree of experience/competence)
Violates rules that extend from the Duty of Honesty and Candour (MC):
Competent to provide advice
Have sufficient knowledge of relevant facts
Indicate when assumptions made
Be wary of bold or over-confident assurances
d) Encouraging Compromise
Lawyer must advise and encourage client to compromise or settle dispute where possible (MC Rule 2.02(4))
Lawyer should consider the use of ADR when appropriate (MC Commentary)
e) A cautionary tale of ZA in Counselling - David Luban. “Tales of Terror: Lessons for Lawyers from the “War on
Terrorism” – Role of the ZA unacceptable in counselling. LITMUS TEST ask yourself: would my opinion be the
same if client wanted opposite outcome
Post 9/11, American gov’t asks counsel to define what they can get away with without breaking int’l torture
laws. The since discredited opinion said anything short of actions that cause organ failure. Did not indicate that
the opinion was outside of mainstream legal opinion.
Enabled torture and “stretched and distorted the law to reach the outcome that the client wanted”
Counsellor’s Rule of Thumb - LITMUS TEST should be to make your description of the law more or less the same
as it would be if your client wanted the opposite result.
Litigating: What your client wants
Counselling: what the law is
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B. Negotiation
In negotiating disputes, people can act in their own best interests; are free to negotiate unethically if they chose,
as code is silent on conduct in negotiation (except Alberta’s code use to).
Negotiating parties may withhold material facts from each other and to make untruthful statements.
o “the critical difference between those who are successful negotiators and those who are not lies in [the]
capacity both to mislead and not to be mislead” (James White cited in Woolley et al)
The courts have accepted this position on negotiations:
o Westcom TV v CanWest:
“”[p]arties involved in arm’s length negotiations commonly conceal their true intentions. It is
part of the negotiation process that positions are advanced and that do not represent what a
party truly expects or is prepared to agree to in the end”
1. Competence in Negotiation
MC 2.01(1)(c) - “competent lawyer” means a lawyer who has and applied relevant knowledge, skills and attributes in a
manner appropriate to each matter undertaken on behalf of a client and the nature and the terms of the lawyer’s
engagements, including:
(c) implementing as each matter requires, the chosen course of action through the application of appropriate
skills, including...
v) negotiation...
2. Regulation of Negotiation
Debate as to whether duty that lawyers must, in their dealings with other lawyers and self-rep clients act with integrity
and good faith, must not misrepresent or conceal information. The common viewpoint is that the acceptable and usual
degree of deception involved in negotiations is not altered by having lawyers involved.
The need to respect lawyer’s obligations to promote the interests of her client
If lawyers are more restricted in their tactics, clients will be tempted to not use a lawyer to circumvent the
regulations
Concerns about misrepresentation and non-disclosure are already covered by other areas of law (torts of deceit
and misrepresentation, doctrine of mistake in contract)
Even if these other reasons could be overcome, drafting a rule about what is and is not permissible in
negotiations would be difficult exercise
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LAW 360 – ETHICS – PROF. PIRIE – SPRING 2015 – M. HOUSE
Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador v Regular (2005) – professional misconduct to calculatedly mislead
and conceal material facts
Law Society held that lying to client’s opposition to a directed question on the sale of a business to which client
was partial owner was unethical. Failed to act w integrity, in his responsibility as a lawyer, to avoid questionable
conduct
Commentary: In no situation, including negotiation, is a lawyer entitled to deliberately mislead a colleague. The
lawyer has other alternatives, such as declining to answer
R 4.1: In representing a client, a lawyer shall not knowingly make a false statement of material fact or law to 3P.
Most provincial rules of professional conduct expressly require lawyer to try and settle:
Model Code2.02(4): a lawyer must advise and encourage a client to compromise or settle a dispute
whenever it is possible to do so on a reasonable basis
Lawyers are typically restricted in negotiations in the use they make of threats of starting or stopping criminal or quasi
criminal proceedings
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LAW 360 – ETHICS – PROF. PIRIE – SPRING 2015 – M. HOUSE
When acting as a prosecutor, must act for “public and the administration of justice” and act “resolutely and
honourably within the limits of the law...”
See also MC 5.1-3 to 5.1- 8 and commentary
R. v Stinchcombe (SCC) – general duty of crown disclosure, though not absolute – subject to crown discretion
Court accepts one (of five) crown policy arguments, (namely that there is a danger that witnesses are killed
prior to trial if their evidence is disclosed) but finds that the accused right to the ability to make a full answer
and defence over-rides
This duty of disclosure is not absolute – crown discretion extends to both the withholding of this information
(in the case of informer’s likely to be killed) and the timing of the disclosure.
Krieger v Law Society of Alberta – issues of crown discretion can be processed by law societies but not the courts
Crown lies and says that favourable DNA results for person accd of murder won’t be ready for prelim, but they
were and didn’t disclose results implicated different person. Reprimanded by AG and removed from case; AG
and Krieger then tried to stop LS process on grounds Krieger exercising prosecutorial discretion in “delaying”
disclosure.
Crown powers emanate from officer holder’s role as a legal advisor of the crown, but while immune from
courts, is not immune from processes of the Law Society
4. Overzealous Advocacy
R v Boucher(1954)- crown should act as investigators, ministers of justice, not as over-zealous advocates
Crown made appeals to emotion and impressed upon the jury that the crown had thoroughly investigated the
accd and come to the conclusion of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Must not appeal to emotion, must not impress upon jury that the accd is, but your opinion, guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt
Criminal prosecution is not a contest, it is a truth-finding mission
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LAW 360 – ETHICS – PROF. PIRIE – SPRING 2015 – M. HOUSE
2. Defending the Guilty Client and the fine line of not Misleading the Court
Counsel has a duty to defend an accused client regardless of the lawyer’s opinions of guilt or innocence (MC
5.1-1 commentary)
Counsel can continue to defend a client even though convinced of their guilt, but may only use certain means
of defence in such cases, namely those that do not involve knowingly misleading the court ( MC 5.1-1
Commentary) as in Tuckiar (below).
Counsel should never express their personal opinions (as seen in Boucher, and discussed in the Marshall Inquiry
Report in which the defence allegedly believed their client was guilty)
R v Tuckiar (1934 Aus.) – unethical to state that you do not believe your client/breach confidence
Aboriginal man acquitted of murder charge after counsel announced in court that he believed his client was
guilty and so had lied to him and could not represent him, and in doing so breached confidence by announcing
privileged communications between himself and his client.
R v K(s) – an accds may not enter “plea of convenience” unless they are prepared to admit mental/factual
elements of the offence
Court set aside guilty pleas where Accd, charged with 10 counts of sexual offences against young girls, plea
bargained to enter guilty on four lesser charges in exchange of remaining charges being dropped, hoping to
avoid custodial sentence. Continued protests of innocence throughout. Judge ruled that he was not eligible to
plead guilty because he denied the necessary elements of the offence
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LAW 360 – ETHICS – PROF. PIRIE – SPRING 2015 – M. HOUSE
The CBA is not a regulatory body; they assist the law profession with training, with creating various tools to seek
to help the legal profession
Firms using increased technology for variety of areas of operating their firms, practicing law
o “We-vorce” (created by American Family lawyer)
Plain language questionnaire; Computer algorithym to predict outcome
Professional Cross-over forcing legal profession to evolve its practices
o Eg. Accountants advertising that they can assist the public with rights-based issues. Is this ok? Its ok if he has
lawyers.
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