Legal Question in Legal Ethics in District of Columbia

Attorney/Client Relationship

A person walks in off the street admits to the paralegal of comitting a criminal act. Is there any ethical duties the paralegal owe this person? Is this person consider a client for the lawyer who is a noncriminal lawyer? Do the lawyer hava an ethical duty to this person?


Asked on 2/28/00, 9:03 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Daniel Press Chung & Press, P.C.

Re: Attorney/Client Relationship

The communication is probably privileged, and certainly a client confidence or secret, and the lawyer has an ethical duty to keep it confidential and to make sure that the paralegal does the same. The person is not a client if the firm was never retained, but duties of confidentiality exist if there was a communication for the purpose of seeking legal advice.

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Answered on 3/09/00, 2:48 pm


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