MPRE PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

An attorney and a prospective client met to discuss whether the attorney would represent the client in a contractual dispute. During the conversation, the potential plaintiff spoke to the attorney about her litigation objectives and how much she would be able to pay the attorney. As they were wrapping up the meeting, the client noticed a picture of the attorney's teenaged son on the wall. The client confided in the attorney that she had a son the same age, but she had given him up for adoption because she was an unwed teenager when he was born. She told the attorney that no one except her family knew about the adoption, and she asked the attorney to keep it confidential. Is the information about the client's pregnancy protected by the attorney-client privilege? A. No, because the woman had not retained the attorney when the conversation took place. B. No, because the communication was not relayed for legal advice. C - Answer-Answer choice B is correct. A confidential communication between a client and her attorney is privileged. The evidentiary attorney-client privilege covers the client's communication to an attorney whom the client reasonably believes represents the client, and the circumstances indicate a desire by the client for confidentiality. Although the attorney does not need to give advice or agree to the representation for the privilege to exist, the communication must be for the purpose of seeking legal advice or representation. Although the statement about the client's child was given in confidence and would be protected by the attorney's ethical duty of confidentiality, it is not subject to the attorney-client privilege because it was not relayed for the purpose of obtaining legal advice. Answer choice A is incorrect because, although the woman was a potential client with regard to the contract matter, the privilege would not apply to the statement regarding the adoption because the statement was not made for the purpose of obtaining legal advice. Answer choice C is incorrect because the communication was not made for the purpose of obtaining legal advice, so it is not privileged even if the woman had a reasonable expectation of representation. Answer choice D is incorrect because, although the communication would have been privileged if it had been relayed for the purpose of obtaining legal advice, it was not relayed for that purpose. A well-known defense attorney met with a criminal defendant regarding representation of the defendant in a highly publicized case. During the meeting, the attorney told the defendant, who was indigent, that she would represent him if he agreed to grant her movie rights regarding the representation. The client agreed to these terms, and the attorney provided him with a written consent form setting forth the terms of the representation and advising him to seek independent counsel. The attorney met with the defendant several days later, at which time he returned a signed copy of the written consent form. He told her that he had not consulted with another attorney. The attorney succeeded in obtaining an acquittal at trial and began shopping a movie based on the case to television studios shortly thereafter. Were the attorney's actions in securing the movie rights based on the case proper?