(CLE) Personal Interest Conflicts: When the Lawyer Becomes the Conflict

Lawyers are trained to identify and manage conflicts of interest before accepting a client, often relying on technology and practiced methods to flag issues involving current or former clients. However, a more nuanced and often overlooked area involves a lawyer’s own personal interest conflicts—situations in which a lawyer’s own business, financial, professional, political, or religious interests or beliefs may materially limit their ability to represent a client effectively. These are often not subject of most conflict checking procedures.

The first segment of this interactive session, featuring David F. Bayne, will explore the ethical and professional implications of such conflicts. Participants will examine how personal interests can compromise objectivity, by exploring various kinds of conflicts, including those created when family members, lovers and friends are opposing counsel and when a lawyer’s right to political speech may be circumscribed by duties owed to current or former clients. The discussion will also review…