Advisory Opinion: 1659

Year Issued: 1996

RPC(s): RPC 1.9; 1.10

Subject: Conflict of interest; checking conflicts when changing firms

You recently transferred employment to another law firm. To check conflicts between clients in your former firm with clients in the firm you are now with, you compared lists from the former firm of your current clients with their spouses' names, as well as past clients' last names, with past current client lists of the firm with which you are now practicing. The Committee determined that you have done all you can to check client conflicts because RPC 1.9 and 1.10 focus on knowingly representing a client when a conflict exists.

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.