If a lawyer is working with you, what are his or her duties?
• Maintain confidentiality
• Follow instructions
• Avoid conflicts of interest
• Act honestly
• Act with diligence and skills
• Communicate efficiently
• Act in a timely manner
After your lawyer has heard your legal problem, some advice may be provided. Sometimes, your lawyer may find it hard to provide a proper legal solution. Your lawyer will do some research on your case in order to provide you with the best solution possible. Your lawyer has the duty to advise you of all your available options. You will need to consider all the options that are presented by your lawyer but the final decision will be in your hands. If you do not understand anything your lawyer tells you, you can ask for clarification.
Your lawyer can act upon your instructions but cannot do anything illegal while following them. Your lawyer has an ethical obligation not to waste the courts time or to mislead the court.
Conversations with your lawyer will be highly confidential. Your lawyer cannot discuss your matters with anyone else, which includes the police or the court without your permission.
There are certain situations in which your lawyer may tell someone information about your case or you.
• When a particular law requires it
• To prevent a serious criminal offense from occurring
• For the safety of you or someone else who may be at risk.
Your lawyer will communicate with you in a careful and efficient manner and will give you regular updates regarding the matter. Your lawyer will also be honest with you. Your best interests will be your lawyer main concern and strengths and weaknesses of your case will be discussed with you.
If your lawyer finds out that there is a conflict of interest, your lawyer should let you know. If you think your lawyer has a conflict of interest you should discuss it with him or her.
