Alice has an ethical duty to inform her client Connie and ask Connie's permission to tell the opposing attorney. Alice has an ethical duty to say nothing to the client or to the opposing party. If the settlement fails, Alice is ethically barred from commencing the lawsuit because she knows the statutory period has expired. If the settlement fails, Alice may ethically sue, without telling the court of the statutory bar. Client retains Attorney to represent her in litigation.
Client agrees to reimburse attorney for all costs of litigation.
Attorney retains Court Reporter for a deposition. The Court Reporter does the work and sends the deposition and the statement for her services to the attorney. The attorney does not pay. The client is bankrupt. The Citizens Alliance for Lake Preservation has asked him to represent the Alliance in a public interest law suit against Vista del Oro, Inc., a real estate developer.