This Rule does not require disclosure of information otherwise protected by Rule 1.6 . Inquiries or information received by the South Carolina Bar Lawyers Caring about Lawyers Committee or an equivalent county bar association committee regarding the need for treatment for alcohol or drug abuse shall not be disclosed to the disciplinary authority by the committee members. Any such inquiry, or information received by a committee member as a result of such inquiry, shall enjoy the same confidence as information protected by the attorney-client privilege under applicable law.
Lawyers have a similar obligation with respect to judicial misconduct.
An apparently isolated violation may indicate a pattern of misconduct that only a disciplinary investigation can uncover. Reporting a violation is especially important where the victim is unlikely to discover the offense. A report about misconduct is not required where it would involve violation of Rule 1.6 . However, a lawyer should encourage a client to consent to disclosure where prosecution would not substantially prejudice the client's interests. If a lawyer were obliged to report every violation of the Rules, the failure to report any violation would itself be a professional offense.