Ethics in the practice of elder law

Ethical issues can occur at any point when representing elderly clients. Offering clear guidance on the most common issues, this book offers a framework for recognizing and analyzing the situation. The authors, both authorities in elder law, discuss the most common ethical situations and how to anticipate and address them. The book presents hypothetical situations, followed by opening questions and advice on analyzing and responding to the issue, and explains the questions to ask based on the 9 "C's" of elder law ethics.

• Dedication p. ix
• Acknowledgments p. xi
• Preface p. xi
• About the Authors p. xv
• Chapter 1 Where to Go for Guidance p. 1
• I Overview p. 1
• II An Elder Law Attorney's Duties p. 3
• A Competency p. 3
• B Professionalism p. 4
• III Guidance-Ethical Resources for the Elder Law Practice p. 6
• A Model Rules of Professional Conduct p. 7
• B The NAELA Aspirational Standards p. 11
• IV Duties, Disciplinary Matters, and Liability p. 13
• Conclusion p. 16
• Chapter 2 Who Is the Client? p. 17
• I Why Do We Need to Identify the Client? p. 18
• II How Do We Identify the Client? p. 20
• III What Is the Role/Relationship of Everyone Else "Present" in the Representation? p. 25
• IV How Does the Attorney Interact with Non-clients? p. 31
• Chapter 3 Who Can I Talk To? p. 43
• I Confidential Information p. 44
• A The Definition of Confidential Information p. 44
• B Exceptions to the Rule of Confidentiality p. 50
• II Attorney/Client Privilege p. 59
• III Special Issues in Elder Law p. 71
• A Confidentiality in Joint Client Representation p. 71
• B Confidentiality and the Diminished-Capacity Client p. 76
• C Confidentiality and Fiduciary Relationships p. 80
• Conclusion p. 86
• Chapter 4 Who Can I Represent? p. 87
• I Protecting Concurrent Clients p. 90
• II Protecting Former Clients p. 104
• A Is the Person a Former Client? p. 107
• B Is the Matter Materially Adverse to the Former Client? p. 107
• C Is the Matter the Same or Substantially Related? p. 109
• D Will the Former Client Consent? p. 111
• III Protections of Prospective Clients p. 112
• IV Conflicts with Personal Interests p. 117
• Conclusion p. 122
• Chapter 5 Representing Clients Who May Have Diminished Capacity p. 123
• Introduction p. 124
• I Defining Diminished Capacity p. 127
• II Assessing Diminished Capacity p. 134
• III Maximizing a Client's Capacity p. 139
• IV Criteria for Taking Protective Action p. 147
• V What Protective Action to Take p. 151
• Conclusion p. 159
• Chapter 6 Who Can I Represent: Ethical Issues in a Guardianship Practice p. 161
• Introduction p. 162
• I The Existing Client Who Needs Protective Action p. 164
• II An Attorney Is Involved in the Petition to Determine Capacity and Appoint a Guardian, Representing Either the Petitioner or the Alleged Incapacitated Person p. 170
• A Representing the Petitioner When the Alleged Incapacitated Person Is a Current or Former Client p. 170
• B Representing the Alleged Incapacitated Person in an Incapacity/Guardianship Proceeding p. 184
• III The Attorney for the Guardian p. 187
• Conclusion p. 195
• Chapter 7 Whom Do I Represent in Complex Fiduciary Representation? p. 197
• I What Is a Fiduciary? p. 198
• II Competence p. 201
• III Who Is the Client? p. 202
• IV Scope of Representation p. 207
• V Duties to Beneficiaries p. 212
• VI Confidentiality p. 216
• A When the Attorney Initiates the Disclosure p. 217
• B When the Attorney Receives a Request for Information p. 222
• VII Conflicts of Interest p. 227
• VIII Withdrawal from Representation p. 230
• IX The Attorney Serves as Fiduciary p. 234
• Conclusion p. 238
• Chapter 8 To Litigate or Not to Litigate-That Is the Question p. 239
• I Witness Preparation p. 241
• II Litigation lilhics p. 248
• Conclusion p. 259
• Chapter 9 Ancillary Services and Marketing p. 261
• I Ancillary Services p. 262
• A Competence p. 268
• B Scope of the Service p. 269
• C Consent p. 272
• D Conflicts of Interest p. 274
• E Fees p. 282
• II Ethical Issues in Marketing the Elder Law Practice p. 283
• A Websites p. 284
• B Speeches p. 287
• C Certification p. 288
• Conclusion p. 289
• Appendix 1 ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct p. 291
• Appendix 2 The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Aspirational Standards p. 293
• Appendix 3 ABA Ethics Opinions p. 329
• Appendix 3-A ABA Formal Op. 02-426 (2002) p. 329
• Appendix 3-B ABA Formal Op. 05-434 (2005) p. 338
• Appendix 3-C ABA Formal Op. 05-436 (2005) p. 343
• Appendix 3-D ABA Formal Op. 93-378 (1993) p. 348
• Appendix 3-E ABA Formal Op. 08-450 (2008) p. 352
• Appendix 3-F ABA Formal Op. 90-358 (1990) p. 360
• Appendix 3-G ABA Formal Op. 94-380 (1994) p. 368
• Appendix 3-H ABA Formal Op. 96-404 (1996) p. 373
• Appendix 3-I ABA Formal Op. 10-457 (2010) p. 382
• Appendix 4 Supplemental Chapter Resources, Checklists, and Letters p. 389
• Chapter 1 Resources p. 389
• Chapter 2 Checklist for Red Flags Regarding Undue Influence p. 391
• Chapter 2 Notice to Third-Party Payer p. 393
• Chapter 3 Engagement Letter Addition p. 395
• Chapter 4 Concurrent Representation p. 397
• Chapter 4 Letter to Confirm Consent to Continue Representation That Is Adverse to a Former Client p. 399
• Chapter 5 Notice to Prospective Client Notice to respective Client p. 401
• Chapter 5 Letter to Doctor Evaluating Ghent in a Guardianship Proceeding p. 403
• Chapter 6 Addition to Engagement Letter to a Fiduciary p. 405
• Chapter 7 Suggested Letter to Third Party/Beneficiary Who Requests Confidential Information p. 406
• Chapter 8 Checklist for Preparing an Elderly Client for a Hearing p. 407
• Index p. 409