970095 | Office of Legal Ethics Counsel & Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri

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Informal Opinion Number: 970095

Rules: 1.7

Client-Lawyer Relationship

Conflict of Interest: General Rule

[No longer valid. See changes to Rule 4-1.11(d)(1) and section 105.458, RSMo.]

QUESTION: Attorney is a member of the City Council. May Attorney represent defendants charged with violations of city crimes?

ANSWER: As a member of the City Council, Attorney has a conflict of interest under Rule 4-1.7(b), which prohibits Attorney from representing anyone against the city, including defendants in municipal court.

Informal Opinions are ethics advisory opinions issued by the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel to members of the Bar about Rule 4 (Rules of Professional Conduct), Rule 5 (Complaints and Proceedings Thereon), and Rule 6 (Fees to Practice Law) pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(c). Written summaries of select Informal Opinions are published for informational purposes as determined by the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri pursuant to Rule 5.30(c). Informal opinion summaries are advisory in nature and are not binding. These opinions are published as an educational service and do not constitute legal advice.

To request an Informal Opinion, please visit: http://mo-legal-ethics.org/for lawyers/requesting-an-informal-advisory-opinion/.