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1 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference #IHCC14 Secrets, Lies, And Money! Ethical Rules For Interacting With Non-Lawyers In Litigation And Transactions January 29, 2014 Anaheim, California Sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP Panelists: Robert W. Kadlec, Sidley Austin LLP Jennifer Altfeld Landau, Sidley Austin LLP Moderator: Katie Rodin, Assistant General Counsel, Anaheim Ducks & Honda Center #IHCC12
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090701_2 2 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Is it ethical for lawyers or parties to pay fact witnesses to cooperate in litigation? Is it ethical for transactional lawyers to communicate with non-lawyers working for the opposing side of the transaction? What are the ethical obligations of a lawyer with confidential information detrimental to a client, when participating in negotiations and litigation? Questions For Consideration
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090701_3 3 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Content of testimony vs. reasonable value for time lost, plus expenses incurred – ABA Model Rule 3.4(b) and Comment (3) ABA Formal Opinion 96-402 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 5-310(B) California Formal Opinion 1997-149 – 18 USC 201 – Federal anti-bribery and anti-gratuity statute Compensating A Fact Witness
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090701_4 4 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference What about royalties or contingent payment in license or consulting agreement? – Generally not acceptable – But some IP cases have approved such arrangements Ethicon, Inc. v. U.S. Surgical Corp., 135 F.3d 1456 (Fed. Cir. 1998) ESN LLC v. Cisco, 685 F. Supp 2d 631 (ED Tex. 2009) Compensating A Fact Witness
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090701_5 5 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Can a lawyer prevent a former employee witness from communicating with the other side’s attorneys? – ABA Model Rule 3.4(f) – California Rule of Professional Conduct 5-310(A) “Locking Up” A Fact Witness
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090701_6 6 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Joint representation permissible – ABA Model Rule 1.13(g) – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-600(E) Potential conflicts disclosed and waived – ABA Model Rule 1.7 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-310 Solicitation rules – ABA Model Rule 7.3 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 1-400 Best Practices Representing A Current Or Former Employee Fact Witness
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090701_7 7 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Corporate “Miranda” / Upjohn Warnings – Who you are, who you represent (the organization), and that you do not represent the employee – The reason for the interview – to give advice to your client, the organization, as part of the investigation – The employee is free to obtain separate counsel – The interview is covered by the attorney-client privilege, and that the privilege belongs to the organization, not the employee – The organization may waive the attorney-client privilege without notice to the employee – The company may disclose the employee’s statements to third parties, including the government, without the employee’s consent – The communication should be kept confidential in order to maintain the privilege – Confirmation that the employee is willing to proceed Communicating With A Non- Lawyer Employee Fact Witness
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090701_8 8 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Prohibition on communication with person represented by counsel – ABA Model Rule 4.2 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 2-100 Limitations on communication with unrepresented person – ABA Model Rule 4.3 – Proposed California Rule of Professional Conduct 4.3(b) Communicating With An Adverse Party’s Employee
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090701_9 9 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Prohibition on communication with person represented by counsel – ABA Model Rule 4.2 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 2-100 Communicating with Represented Parties: Prohibition
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090701_10 10 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Ethical rules apply to transactions as well as litigation, and whether acting in business or attorney capacity – California Rule of Professional Conduct 2-100 and Discussion – Graham v. U.S., 96 F.3d 446 (9th Cir. 1996) – In re Heider, 217 Or. 134 (1959) – In re Lurie, 113 Ariz. 95 (1976) Communicating with Represented Parties: Broad Application
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090701_11 11 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Split on whether constructive knowledge of representation is sufficient – ABA Model Rule 4.2, comment 8 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 2-100 – California Bar Formal Opinion 1996-145 – Snider v. Superior Court (Quantum Productions Inc.), 113 Cal.App.4th 1187 (2003) Communicating with Represented Parties: Knowledge
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090701_12 12 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Subject of the representation – Little Guidance – Common Sense Continuation of prior representation Related facts or situation – Prudence Communicating with Represented Parties: Subject
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090701_13 13 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Consent to communication with represented party must come from the party’s counsel – California Rule of Professional Conduct 2-100 – ABA Model Rule 4.2 – ABA Formal Opinion No. 06-443 Communicating with Represented Parties: Consent
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090701_14 14 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Communication via social media – SDCBA Legal Ethics Opinion 2011-2 Communicating with Represented Parties: Social Media
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090701_15 15 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Best Practices – Do not communicate with the other side’s business people without consent of their attorney – Consider all forms of communication – be wary of represented parties being “looped in” on phone or email conversations – Note that the rule applies to communications “about the subject of the representation” – Obtain confirmation that you may copy opposing counsel’s client on email distributions of draft documents, etc. Communicating with Represented Parties: Best Practices
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090701_16 16 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference The client is the organization, acting through its officers and employees – ABA Model Rule 1.13 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-600 Organization As Client
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090701_17 17 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Duty to follow client’s instructions and to keep confidences – ABA Model Rule 1.2 – ABA Model Rule 1.6 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-100 – California Business and Professions Code § 6068(e) Duties Owed To Clients
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090701_18 18 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference No duty to protect the interests of non-clients – Fox v. Pollack, 181 Cal. App. 3d 954 (1986) – Skarbrevik v. Cohen, England & Whitfield, 231 Cal. App. 3d 692 (1991) Limited exceptions – where the third party is the intended beneficiary of the attorney’s services, or – the foreseeability of harm to the third party resulting from professional negligence is not outweighed by other policy considerations Duties Owed To Non-Clients
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090701_19 19 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference No disclosure duties owed to opposing parties or their counsel – Goodman v. Kennedy, 18 Cal.3d 335 (1976) – ABA Formal Opinion No. 94-387 (September 26, 1994) Duties Owed To Opposing Parties
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090701_20 20 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Ethical rules prohibiting attorney misconduct – ABA Model Rule 4.1 – ABA Model Rule 8.4 – ABA Model Rule 1.2(d) – California Business & Professions Code § 6106 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-210 and related Discussion – Vega v. Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, 121 Cal.App.4th 282 (2004) Prohibition on Attorney Misconduct
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090701_21 21 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference No obligation to volunteer detrimental information May not lie May need to “Report up” and perhaps, ultimately, withdraw – ABA Model Rule 1.13(b) – ABA Model Rule 1.16(a)(1) – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-600(C) – California Bar Formal Opinion 1996-146 Duties Owed in Negotiations
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090701_22 22 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Duty of candor to the court – standards differ – ABA Model Rule 3.3 – California Rule of Professional Conduct 5-200 – California Business & Professions Code § 6068(d) – California Rule of Professional Conduct 3-100 Duty of Candor: Litigation
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090701_23 23 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Best Practices – Generally have no duty to disclose detrimental information – But cannot knowingly make a false statement of fact or perpetrate a fraud – Duty of confidentiality to client is qualified by duty of candor under the ABA Model Rules – Duty to “report up” and, possibly, to withdraw Duty Of Candor: Best Practices
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090701_24 24 #IHCC14 2014 ACC-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference Robert W. Kadlec – Partner, Corporate and Finance Sidley Austin LLP Jennifer Altfeld Landau – Partner, Litigation Sidley Austin LLP Katie Rodin – Assistant General Counsel Anaheim Ducks & Honda Center Panelists
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