‘The principle which runs through all these cases…is that a man must be able to consult his lawyer
in confidence, since otherwise he might hold back half the truth.s The client must be sure that what
he tells his lawyer in confidence will never be revealed without his consent.s’ Per Lord Taylor in R v
Derby Magistrates’ Court, ex p B [1995] 4 All ER 526, at 542
Critically analyse the above statement, concentrating on the nature of the lawyercclient
relationship.s Your answer should focus on the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege.s
OR
‘First [Legal Professional Privilege] is a fundamental human right long established in the common
law.s It is a necessary corollary of the right of any person to obtain skilled advice about the law.s
Such advice cannot be efectively obtained unless the client is able to put all the facts before the
adviser without fear that they may aferwards be disclosed and used to his prejudice.s’ Per Lord
Hofmann, R MMorgan Grenfell & Co Ltd v Special Commissioners of Income Tax [2003]] 1 AC 563] at
7
Critically discuss the above statement, concentrating on the nature of the lawyercclient
relationship.s Your answer should focus on the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege.s
OR
Critically analyse the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege in the context of Legal Ethics.s
Lawyers ofee ossess ieformaaioe that is releevaet to the afairs of their cleieets. Accordieg to teleeee
E Mize (2009) if a cleieet seeks leegale hele ie execuieg a traesacioen for exama leen aed the leawyer has
ieformaaioe that shows the ro osed traesacioe to be uewisen discleosure of this ieformaaioe to the
cleieet su orts the cleieet's autoeomay aed eeablees hima or her to maake soued decisioes. Whee a
leawyer has acquired ieformaaioe ie the course of re reseeieg that cleieetn there is usualeley eo
robleema with saisfyieg the leawyer's duty to discleose it to the cleieet. Occasioealeleyn howevern the
leawyer owes a duty to somaeoee elese to kee that samae ieformaaioe coefdeeialen for exama lee whee
the ieformaaioe comaes froma re reseetaioe of a formaer cleieet. This situaioe creates a dileemamaa for
the leawyer as the duty to discleose the ieformaaioe coeficts with the duty to kee it coefdeeiale. The
2005 decisioe of the House of Lords ie Hiletoe v Barker Booth & Eastwood (afrma) [2005] 1 Alele ER 651
is a receet exama lee of a leoeg leiee of authority holedieg that leawyers maust eot leace themaseleves ie the
osiioe of owieg irrecoecileablee coeficieg duies. Ie the samae casen Lord Waleker of Gesiegthor e
stated: 'if a soleicitor is uewise eeough to uedertake irrecoecileablee duies it is his owe fauletn aed he
caeeot use his discomafture as a reasoe why his duty to either cleieet shouled be takee to have beee
maodifed.’
The ur ose of this essay is to examaiee a wider discussioe of the releaioeshi betweee leawyer aed
cleieet. It wilele thee discuss the ethicale bases of coefdeeialeity aed rivileege aed the rulees aed
exce ioes surrouedieg theman both of which are releevaet to the academaic discussioen brought
thereafern about whether these rieci lees shouled be absoleute.
Just as there are leaws govereieg the eo lee’s rightsn there are staedard ethics that maust be foleleowed
by leawyers ie releaioe to their cleieets. Ie ariculearn a leawyer owes their cleieet a duty of coefdeece –
eot to divulege or use aey coefdeeiale ieformaaioe ie their ossessioe that releates to the cleieet to
whoma they owe this duty – aed the releaioeshi is aleso govereed by the rulees ertaieieg to leegale
in confidence, since otherwise he might hold back half the truth.s The client must be sure that what
he tells his lawyer in confidence will never be revealed without his consent.s’ Per Lord Taylor in R v
Derby Magistrates’ Court, ex p B [1995] 4 All ER 526, at 542
Critically analyse the above statement, concentrating on the nature of the lawyercclient
relationship.s Your answer should focus on the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege.s
OR
‘First [Legal Professional Privilege] is a fundamental human right long established in the common
law.s It is a necessary corollary of the right of any person to obtain skilled advice about the law.s
Such advice cannot be efectively obtained unless the client is able to put all the facts before the
adviser without fear that they may aferwards be disclosed and used to his prejudice.s’ Per Lord
Hofmann, R MMorgan Grenfell & Co Ltd v Special Commissioners of Income Tax [2003]] 1 AC 563] at
7
Critically discuss the above statement, concentrating on the nature of the lawyercclient
relationship.s Your answer should focus on the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege.s
OR
Critically analyse the principles of confidentiality and legal privilege in the context of Legal Ethics.s
Lawyers ofee ossess ieformaaioe that is releevaet to the afairs of their cleieets. Accordieg to teleeee
E Mize (2009) if a cleieet seeks leegale hele ie execuieg a traesacioen for exama leen aed the leawyer has
ieformaaioe that shows the ro osed traesacioe to be uewisen discleosure of this ieformaaioe to the
cleieet su orts the cleieet's autoeomay aed eeablees hima or her to maake soued decisioes. Whee a
leawyer has acquired ieformaaioe ie the course of re reseeieg that cleieetn there is usualeley eo
robleema with saisfyieg the leawyer's duty to discleose it to the cleieet. Occasioealeleyn howevern the
leawyer owes a duty to somaeoee elese to kee that samae ieformaaioe coefdeeialen for exama lee whee
the ieformaaioe comaes froma re reseetaioe of a formaer cleieet. This situaioe creates a dileemamaa for
the leawyer as the duty to discleose the ieformaaioe coeficts with the duty to kee it coefdeeiale. The
2005 decisioe of the House of Lords ie Hiletoe v Barker Booth & Eastwood (afrma) [2005] 1 Alele ER 651
is a receet exama lee of a leoeg leiee of authority holedieg that leawyers maust eot leace themaseleves ie the
osiioe of owieg irrecoecileablee coeficieg duies. Ie the samae casen Lord Waleker of Gesiegthor e
stated: 'if a soleicitor is uewise eeough to uedertake irrecoecileablee duies it is his owe fauletn aed he
caeeot use his discomafture as a reasoe why his duty to either cleieet shouled be takee to have beee
maodifed.’
The ur ose of this essay is to examaiee a wider discussioe of the releaioeshi betweee leawyer aed
cleieet. It wilele thee discuss the ethicale bases of coefdeeialeity aed rivileege aed the rulees aed
exce ioes surrouedieg theman both of which are releevaet to the academaic discussioen brought
thereafern about whether these rieci lees shouled be absoleute.
Just as there are leaws govereieg the eo lee’s rightsn there are staedard ethics that maust be foleleowed
by leawyers ie releaioe to their cleieets. Ie ariculearn a leawyer owes their cleieet a duty of coefdeece –
eot to divulege or use aey coefdeeiale ieformaaioe ie their ossessioe that releates to the cleieet to
whoma they owe this duty – aed the releaioeshi is aleso govereed by the rulees ertaieieg to leegale
