980266 | Office of Legal Ethics Counsel & Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri

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Informal Opinion Number: 980266

Rules: 4-1.7

Client-Lawyer Relationship

Conflict of Interest: Current Clients

QUESTION: Attorney has a private practice and also serves as a part-time assistant prosecuting attorney in the area of child support enforcement. As a private attorney, may Attorney serve as GAL in juvenile cases?
ANSWER: As an assistant prosecuting attorney, Attorney has a conflict in serving as a GAL in any cases in which the Juvenile Officer is an interested party.

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/.