Nicole Black, BridgeTower Media Newswires
These days, news is shared in many ways, with online news outlets and social media sites contributing to the rapid - and sometimes viral - dissemination of information. Not surprisingly, details distributed online can sometimes trigger client confidentiality issues. For that reason, the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (Committee) recently addressed the duty of client confidentiality owed to former clients when information about a client becomes "generally known" after being shared online and through other news channels.
In Opinion 479 (online: http://www.abajournal.com/files/FO_479_formatted_12_14_17.pdf), the Committee considered an exception to the client confidentiality relating to former clients. Specifically the Committee examined the exception found in Model Rule 1.9(c)(1) that permits lawyers to use information that is "generally known" to a former client's disadvantage despite lack of consent from the former client.
As the Committee explained, Model Rule 1.9(c)(1) provides that a lawyer shall not use information relating to a former client's representation 'to the disadvantage of the former client except as [the Model] Rules would permit or require with respect to a [current] client, or when the information has become generally known."
The primary issue considered in this opinion revolved around defining the concept "generally known." At the outset, the Committee explained that there was a distinction between "publicly available" and "generally known": "Unless information has become widely recognized by the public (for example by having achieved public notoriety), or within the former client's industry, profession, or trade, the fact that the information may have been discussed in open court, or may be available in court records, in public libraries, or in other public repositories does not, standing alone, mean that the information is generally known for Model Rule 1.9(c)(1) purposes."
Next, the Committee acknowledged that modern technology has made its mark on this concept, explaining that information "may become widely recognized and thus generally known as a result of publicity through traditional media sources, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, or television; through publication on internet websites; or through social media."
Next the Committee provided insight into how information becomes generally known in the context of a client's chosen career: "(I)nformation should be treated as generally known if it is announced, discussed, or identified in what reasonable members of the industry, profession, or trade would consider a leading print or online publication or other resource in the particular field. Information may be widely recognized within a former client's industry, profession, or trade without being widely recognized by the public."
The Committee explained that in context, knowledge of the matter by the general public is irrelevant. The Committee offered the insurance industry as an example and indicated that what truly mattered was whether the information had been broadly disseminated in that industry: "For example, if a former client is in the insurance industry, information about the former client that is widely recognized by others in the insurance industry should be considered generally known within the meaning of Model Rule 1.9(c)(1) even if the public at large is unaware of the information."
The Committee then summarized its analysis and conclusions as follows: "(I)nformation is generally known within the meaning of Model Rule 1.9(c)(1) if (a) it is widely recognized by members of the public in the relevant geographic area; or (b) it is widely recognized in the former client's industry, profession, or trade."
This opinion offers much-needed clarification for lawyers regarding client confidentiality issues in the digital age. The times are undoubtedly changing as the online world speeds up and amplifies the dissemination of information. Certainly the end result is that the internet may muddy the waters a bit when it comes to lawyers' ethical obligations. But as this opinion shows, despite the rapid pace of change, lawyers' ethical obligations nevertheless remain constant, whether applied online or offline.
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Nicole Black is a director at MyCase.com, a cloud-based law practice management platform. She is also of counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach in Rochester and is a GigaOM Pro analyst. She is the author of the ABA book "Cloud Computing for Lawyers," coauthors the ABA book "Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier," and co-authors "Criminal Law in New York," a West-Thomson treatise. She speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes three legal blogs and can be reached at niki@mycase.com.
Published: Tue, Jan 16, 2018
