CALIFORNIA BAR EXAM: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, RATED A+

CALIFORNIA BAR EXAM: PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, RATED A+ What are the 7 major areas in Professional Responsibility? - -Confidentiality Loyalty Finances Competence Candor Fairness Dignity General rule for the duty of confidentiality to client? - -An attorney can't reveal anything related to the representation of a client without consent. When does the duty of confidentiality attach? - -It can attach before a lawyer-client relationship exists, so long as the potential client believes a relationship exists. What are the four major exceptions to the duty of confidentiality? - -1. Consent from the client 2. Necessary to establish a lawyer's claim or defense (fee dispute, malpractice) 3. May reveal to prevent an act lawyer reasonably believes necessary to prevent crime likely to result in death or substantial bodily harm. 4. If client used or is using attorney services to commit a crime and disclosure would prevent or mitigate substantial financial loss. CA exception to "may reveal info to prevent an act believed necessary to prevent death or bodily harm" - -If reasonable, attorney must first make good faith effort to persuade the client not to commit the act. Then inform client of decision to reveal confidences. CA exception to "prevent substantial financial loss" - -NONE!!!! Distinguish Confidentiality from Attorney-Client privilege - -Attorney client is included in the broader category of the duty of confidentiality. This allows the attorney to refuse to produce evidence or testify about confidential communications related to the representation from client or agents to the attorney. General rule of Duty of Loyalty - -Covers conflict of interest. If an interest of the attorney, another client, or a third party materially limits or is adverse to loyal representation, the attorney has a conflict of interest. Potential v. Actual Conflict - -A potential conflict is one that has the possibility of occurring in the future. An actual conflict is one that actual is occurring at t