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amendments to the Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct

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lawyer's use <strong>of</strong> a hypo<strong>the</strong>tical <strong>to</strong> discuss issues relating <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

representation is permissible so long as <strong>the</strong>re is no reasonable<br />

likelihood that <strong>the</strong> listener will be able <strong>to</strong> ascertain <strong>the</strong> identity<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> client or <strong>the</strong> situation involved.<br />

Authorized Disclosure<br />

[5] Except <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> extent that <strong>the</strong> client's instructions or<br />

special circumstances limit that authority, a lawyer is impliedly<br />

authorized <strong>to</strong> make disclosures about a client when appropriate<br />

in carrying out <strong>the</strong> representation. In some situations, for<br />

example, a lawyer may be impliedly authorized <strong>to</strong> admit a fact<br />

that cannot properly be disputed or <strong>to</strong> make a disclosure that<br />

facilitates a satisfac<strong>to</strong>ry conclusion <strong>to</strong> a matter. Lawyers in a<br />

firm may, in <strong>the</strong> course <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> firm's practice, disclose <strong>to</strong> each<br />

o<strong>the</strong>r information relating <strong>to</strong> a client <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> firm, unless <strong>the</strong><br />

client has instructed that particular information be confined <strong>to</strong><br />

specified lawyers.<br />

Disclosure Adverse <strong>to</strong> Client<br />

[6] The confidentiality rule is subject <strong>to</strong> limited<br />

exceptions. In becoming privy <strong>to</strong> information about a client, a<br />

lawyer may realize that <strong>the</strong> client has used or intends <strong>to</strong> use <strong>the</strong><br />

lawyer’s services in <strong>the</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>rance <strong>of</strong> criminal or fraudulent<br />

conduct. The lawyer may not counsel or assist a client in<br />

conduct that is criminal or fraudulent. See Rule 1.2(d) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

<strong>Rules</strong>. Similarly, a lawyer has a duty under Rule 3.3(a)(4) <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>se <strong>Rules</strong> not <strong>to</strong> use false evidence, which is but one example<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> more general duty prescribed in Rule 1.2(d) <strong>to</strong> avoid<br />

assisting a client in criminal or fraudulent conduct.<br />

[7] The lawyer may have been innocently involved in<br />

past conduct by <strong>the</strong> client that was criminal or fraudulent. In<br />

such a situation, <strong>the</strong> lawyer has not violated Rule 1.2(d) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />

<strong>Rules</strong> because <strong>to</strong> “counsel or assist” criminal or fraudulent<br />

conduct requires knowing that <strong>the</strong> conduct is <strong>of</strong> that character.<br />

Never<strong>the</strong>less, <strong>to</strong> extend <strong>the</strong> protection <strong>of</strong> Rule 1.6 <strong>to</strong> information<br />

possessed by <strong>the</strong> lawyer with respect <strong>to</strong> such conduct would<br />

have <strong>the</strong> effect <strong>of</strong> assisting <strong>the</strong> client in such conduct in violation<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> policy expressed in Rule 1.2(d).<br />

[8] Where <strong>the</strong> lawyer’s information falls short <strong>of</strong> clearly<br />

establishing a criminal or fraudulent act by <strong>the</strong> client, but<br />

supports a reasonable belief by <strong>the</strong> lawyer that a criminal or<br />

fraudulent act has occurred, <strong>the</strong> discretionary disclosure<br />

provisions <strong>of</strong> Rule 1.6(b)(2) <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se <strong>Rules</strong> may be applicable.<br />

Where <strong>the</strong> lawyer’s information clearly establishes <strong>the</strong> criminal<br />

or fraudulent act, <strong>the</strong> manda<strong>to</strong>ry disclosure requirement <strong>of</strong> Rule<br />

1.6(c) may be applicable. The requirement that <strong>the</strong> lawyer’s<br />

services must have been used by <strong>the</strong> client in <strong>the</strong> fur<strong>the</strong>rance <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> criminal or fraudulent act means that <strong>the</strong> services must have<br />

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