by Traverse Legal, reviewed by Enrico Schaefer - November 15, 2006 - High-Tech Law Firms
The ABA Journal has a great article called "Open Season on Email?".
The article analyzes an ethics opinion from the San Diego County Bar Association which concluded that attorneys who receive unsolicited emails from prospective clients can represent a client adverse to the sender of such email. Essentially, attorney in question received an email from the driver of a vehicle who hit the attorney’s current client. The issue was whether or not that unsolicited email precluded the attorney from representing, or continuing to represent, the current client arising out of the same auto accident.
The ethics committee, in my opinion, correctly decided that no attorney client relationship or expectation of a relationship is created by unsolicited email. The practical reality is that the internet makes communication so easy that lawyers would always be at risk of conflict of interest as a result of unsolicited emails.
Note that the lawyer in the unsolicited email even received information which would otherwise be strategically advantageous to the adverse party. Although the opinion covers a hypothetical situation, it is instructive for all attorneys who practice and market on the internet. Here is a link to the Opinion and your thoughts are welcome.
As a founding partner of Traverse Legal, PLC, he has more than thirty years of experience as an attorney for both established companies and emerging start-ups. His extensive experience includes navigating technology law matters and complex litigation throughout the United States.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Enrico Schaefer, who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing Business, IP, and Technology Law litigation attorney.
