Legal services organization; conflict of interest, C3S20 CPRA

Section 20, Canon III SECTION 20. Legal services organization; conflict of interest. -  A legal services organization is any private organization, including a legal aid clinic, partnership, association, or corporation, whose primary purpose is to provide free legal services. A lawyer-client relationship shall arise only between the client and the handling lawyers of the legal services organization. All the lawyers of the legal services organization who participated in the handling of a legal matter shall be covered by the rule on conflict of interest and confidentiality. (2023 Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability or CPRA) 1. Legal services organization; conflict of interest Legal services organization – refers to “any private organization, including a legal aid clinic, partnership, association, or corporation, whose primary purpose is to provide free legal services.” (CPRA, Section 20, Canon III) a. Lawyer-client relationship with handling lawyers only Under this section, the lawyer-client relationship arises “only between the client and the handling lawyers of the legal services organization.” 1) Duty of confidentiality by all lawyers who participated All the lawyers of the legal services organization who participated in the handling of a legal matter shall be covered by the rule on conflict of interest and confidentiality. References • Canon III, 2023 Code of Professional Responsibility...