What does Ohio’s RPC 1.9 pertain to?

Ohio’s RPC 1.9 addresses the duties that attorneys owe to their former clients, specifically focusing on avoiding conflicts of interest. This rule is crucial because it helps maintain the integrity of the attorney-client relationship even after the attorney-client relationship has ended.

Under this provision, a lawyer is generally prohibited from representing a new client in a matter that is substantially related to a matter in which the lawyer represented a former client, unless the former client gives informed consent. This is intended to protect the confidentiality and trust inherent in the previous attorney-client relationship and to prevent any potential misuse of information obtained during that relationship that could disadvantage the former client.

This aspect of the rules emphasizes the importance of maintaining an ethical boundary for attorneys, ensuring that they do not take advantage of knowledge gained in prior representations in ways that could harm former clients. Understanding the implications of RPC 1.9 is essential for practicing attorneys, as it directly impacts their ability to take on new clients and cases while upholding their ethical obligations to former clients.