Advisory Opinion: 973

Year Issued: 1986

RPC(s): RPC 1.6

Subject: Client confidences; disclosure by legal services agency to contracting agency; summary and statistical data

The Committee was of the opinion that [a legal services program] could not extend the attorney-client privilege to [a contracting agency] and that it could not disclose confidences or secrets of its clients without the clients' consents. The Committee was of the opinion that statistical data and summary information could be provided to [the contracting agency] without client consent provided that all means of client identification were removed from the disclosed information.

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.