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Law Practice,
Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Jul. 8, 2010

How Close Can You Get to Your Client?

Wendy Patrick of the San Diego District Attorney's Office advises those lawyers who do not see a problem mixing business and pleasure.

Wendy L. Patrick

Wendy is a California lawyer, past chair and advisor of the California State Bar Ethics Committee (Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct), and past chair of the San Diego County Bar Association Legal Ethics Committee. Any opinions expressed here are her own, and do not reflect that of her employer. This article does not constitute legal advice.

During the course of legal representation, a lawyer decides she is becoming sexually attracted to her client. Now what? Both the California Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct address this provocative issue. Despite knowing the rules, however, many practitioners still have questions. One of the most frequently asked questions in this area is what exactly is included within the term "sexual relations"

California Rule 3-120, Sexual Relat...

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