Court Opinion

ID: 9453694
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 18:20:58.513343+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:33:45.883737
License: Public Domain

SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION ON REHEARING
PER CURIAM:
A major premise of our opinion, issued March 3, 1967, was that a conflict of interest is present when a lawyer representing an heir-finding association claiming rights in an estate as assignee of the heirs also represents those heirs. The question of conflict arises because the assignment, procured from the heirs as “payment” for divulging information about their possible inheritance, may well be unenforceable,1 2*and a lawyer acting as counsel for the heirs may well have an affirmative duty to advise them of that possibility.
Appellant’s petition for rehearing calls to our attention that the District Court did not make any finding with respect to conflict of interest, and did not set forth any conclusion that there had been a violation of Canon 6, although that was one of the charges in the complaint. As the supposition of conflict of interest was a significant basis for our opinion, we have reconsidered the decision of March 3, 1967, vacate the order of affirmance, and remand to the District Court for such further proceedings as may be required.2
So ordered.

. The possibility of conflict was not obviated by Estate of Lott, Admin. No. 86, 184 (D.D.C. May 1, 1959). Appellant contends that was a ruling that such an assignment is valid and enforceable. The only issue before the court, however, was a jurisdictional objection by the administrator. The assigning heirs expressly conceded that they were not challenging the validity of the assignments.

. Our action does not require further proceedings if not insisted on by appellant. The District Court may well consider that since no order of suspension of appellant was envisioned, the opinions already issued suffice for the more important and general purpose of advising the Bar of the problems as to violations of Canons confronting lawyers retained by heir-finders. Whether or not further proceedings are held herein, the District Court may well consider it appropriate to adopt a rule specifically addressed to the heir-finder issue.