Opinion 911

[The lawyer intended to leave his current firm and work on a contract basis for that firm and others.] The Committee was of the opinion that, from the facts as presented in your inquiry, there is no ethical impropriety in your conduct in associating with law firms who represent parties adverse to parties represented by your former law firm, provided that you were not associated with any case in which your former law firm had been representing a client during the period of your employment with that firm. Since you would be maintaining a separate office, and not have access to the general files of your former firm after leaving that firm, the Committee was of the opinion that you may associate with your former employer on files opened subsequent to the date of your leaving the firm, without being disqualified with associating with any other attorney or firm against your former employer in respect to any other file opened after that time.

Advisory Opinions are provided for the education of the Bar and reflect the opinion of the Committee on Professional Ethics (CPE) or its predecessors. Advisory Opinions are provided pursuant to the authorization granted by the Board of Governors, but are not individually approved by the Board and do not reflect the official position of the Bar association. Laws other than the Washington State Rules of Professional Conduct may apply to the inquiry. The Committee's answer does not include or opine about any other applicable law other than the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct.