The Commission is proposing a substantial expansion of the grounds for permissive disclosure under Rule 1.6. While strongly reaffirming the legal profession's commitment to the core value of confidentiality, the Commission also recognizes the overriding importance of human life and the integrity of the lawyer's own role within the legal system. In this regard, the Commission agrees with the substantial criticism that has been directed at current Rule 1.6 and regards the Rule as out of step with public policy and the values of the legal profession as reflected in the rules currently in force in most jurisdictions.

As revised, Rule 1.6 will permit (though it will not require) disclosure to prevent death or substantial bodily harm and to prevent or rectify substantial injury resulting from a client's serious abuse of the lawyer's services. It will also explicitly permit a lawyer to disclose confidences to obtain legal advice about the lawyer's compliance with the Rules. Finally, it will permit disclosure where it is required by a law or court order. In light of these substantial changes to Rule 1.6, the Commission has both reorganized and substantially revised the Comments.

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1. Paragraph (a): Replace "consents after consultation" with "informed consent"

The Commission is recommending that throughout the Rules the phrase "consent after consultation" be replaced with "gives informed consent," as defined in Rule 1.0(e). No change in substance is intended.

2. Paragraph (b)(1): Modify to permit disclosure to "prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm"

The Commission recommends that the exception currently recognized for client crimes threatening imminent death or substantial bodily harm be replaced with a broader exception for disclosures to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm, with no requirement of client criminality. This change is in accord with Section 66 of the American Law Institute's Restatement of the Law Governing Lawyers. The Rule replaces "imminent" with "reasonably certain," to include a present and substantial threat that a person will suffer such injury at a later date, as in some instances involving toxic torts.

3. Paragraph (b)(2): Add paragraph permitting disclosure to prevent client crimes or frauds reasonably certain to cause substantial economic injury and in which client has used or is using lawyer's services

The Commission recommends that a lawyer be permitted to reveal information relating to the representation to the extent necessary to prevent the client from committing a crime or fraud reasonably certain to result in substantial economic loss, but only when the lawyer's services have been or are being used in furtherance of the crime or fraud. Use of the lawyer's services for such improper ends constitutes a serious abuse of the client-lawyer relationship. The client's entitlement to the protection of the Rule must be balanced against the prevention of the injury that would otherwise be suffered and the interest of the lawyer in being able to prevent the misuse of the lawyer's services. Moreover, with respect to future conduct, the client can easily prevent the harm of disclosure by refraining from the wrongful conduct. See also Comment [7].

Support for the Commission's proposal can be found in the eight jurisdictions that permit disclosure when clients threaten crimes or frauds likely to result in substantial injury to the financial or property interests of another and the 25 jurisdictions that permit a lawyer to reveal the intention of a client to commit any crime. The Commission's proposal is also in accord with Section 67 of the American Law Institute's Restatement of the Law Governing Lawyers.

4. Paragraph (b)(3): Add paragraph permitting disclosure to prevent, mitigate or rectify substantial economic loss resulting from client crime or fraud in which client has used lawyer's services

The rationale for this exception is the same as that for paragraph (b)(2), the only difference being that the client no longer can prevent disclosure by refraining from the crime or fraud. See also Comment [8]. The Commission believes that the interests of the affected persons in mitigating or recouping their substantial losses and the interest of the lawyer in undoing a wrong in which the lawyer's services were unwittingly used outweigh the interests of a client who has so abused the client-lawyer relationship. Support for the Commission's proposal can be found in the 13 jurisdictions that permit disclosure to rectify the consequences of a crime or fraud in the commission of which the client used the lawyer's services. The proposal is also in accord with Section 67 of the American Law Institute's Restatement of the Law Governing Lawyers.

5. Paragraph (b)(4): Add paragraph permitting disclosure to the extent necessary to secure legal advice regarding lawyer's compliance with Rules

Questions have been raised regarding the propriety of a lawyer revealing confidential information in order to secure legal advice regarding the lawyer's obligations under the Rules, including the lawyer's duty not to counsel or assist clients in crimes or frauds. In most instances, disclosing information to secure such advice is impliedly authorized. Nevertheless, in order to clarify that such disclosures are proper even when not impliedly authorized, the Commission recommends that such disclosures be explicitly permitted under this Rule. It is of overriding importance, both to lawyers and to society at large, that lawyers be permitted to secure advice regarding their legal obligations. Moreover, clients are adequately protected by the requirement that such disclosures be made only when protected by the attorney-client evidentiary privilege. See also Comment [9].

6. Paragraph (b)(6): Add paragraph permitting disclosure to comply with law or court order

The current Rule does not address whether lawyers are permitted or required to disclose information when such disclosure is required by other law or a court order. Current Comment [20], however, states that a lawyer must comply with the final orders of a court or other tribunal requiring the lawyer to give information about the client, and current Comment [21] refers to other law that may supersede Rule 1.6. The Commission recommends that the text of Rule 1.6 be amended to explicitly permit, but not require, disclosure to comply with law or court orders. No change in substance is intended. See also Comments [12] and [13].