Local Rules LR83.51.7. Loyalty to a Client.
Loyalty is an essential element in the lawyer s relationship to a client.
An impermissible conflict of interest may exist before representation is undertaken, in which event the representation should be declined. The lawyer should adopt reasonable procedures, appropriate for the size and type of firm and practice, to determine in both litigation and non-litigation matters the parties and issues involved and to determine whether there are actual or potential conflicts of interest. If such a conflict arises after representation has been undertaken, the lawyer should withdraw from the representation. Where more than one client is involved and the lawyer withdraws because a conflict arises over representation, whether the lawyer may continue to represent any of the clients is determined by LR83.51.9. As to whether a client-lawyer relationship exists or, having once been established, is continuing, see Comment to LR83.51.3 and the discussion under the heading Scope of the Rules of Professional Conduct in the Comment section of LR83.50.1.