Drafting Waivers of Conflicts of Interests

A bedrock principle of lawyer ethics is that lawyers owe their clients loyalty, free of conflicts of interest – unless those conflicts are explicitly waived by a client in writing.  Clients are entitled to zealous representation without the lawyer being conflicted by other representations.  When a conflict arises, the lawyer is required to decline the representation causing the conflict or withdraw from an ongoing matter – unless the conflict is explicitly waived by the client.  But waivers are not always easily accomplished.  They must be carefully drafted – particularly when it purports to be of an anticipated conflict. This program will provide you with a real-world guide to the rules governing conflict waivers, types of waivers, and how to draft them to avoid future dispute and ethical sanction.

Schedule:

• Drafting effective waivers of conflicts of interest
• Key provisions of waivers and ensuring there is “informed” consent
• Advance waivers – drafting waivers for anticipated conflicts
• Types of advance waivers – stating subject area, adverse parties, neither or both
• Sources of rules and practical guidance on drafting waivers
• Common mistakes made in drafting waivers
• Consequences of ineffective waivers