We occasiionally see clients consulting divorce lawyers for the purpose of creating a conflict and thus limiting a spouse’s choice of attorneys. That’s one of the reasons we do not talk with prospective clients until we meet and why we charge our usual fee for an initial consultation. Apparently New Jersey has decided that a lawyer advising a client to create such conflicts of interest is unethical. Makes good sense. Here’s Charlie Abut’s article from his New Jersey Divorce Blog:
We occasiionally see clients consulting divorce lawyers for the purpose of creating a conflict and thus limiting a spouse’s choice of attorneys. That’s one of the reasons we do not talk with prospective clients until we meet and why we charge our usual fee for an initial consultation. Apparently New Jersey has decided that a lawyer advising a client to create such conflicts of interest is unethical. Makes good sense. Here’s Charlie Abut’s article from his New Jersey Divorce Blog:
NEW JERSEY DIVORCE LAWYER : DIRTY TRICKS
New Jersey divorce lawyers know it as one of the dirty-tricks. Matrimonial clients, sometimes with a wink from their attorney, consult another lawyer for the sole purpose of knocking out that lawyer from potentially representing their adverse spouse. While it may be impossible to stop such conniving clients, those who play loose with the system are now on notice: do it and you’re in trouble. New Jersey Lawyer, April 21, 2006
