City of Atlantic City v. Trupos

In the shifting of allegiances that arises when lawyers “change sides” in their representation of new clients, the confidences of prior clients must be preserved. The propriety of a lawyer representing a current client adverse to the interests of a former client generates a tension—between fealty to a former client and zealousness in favor of a current client—that this Court must address.

In this appeal, a law firm representing a municipality in certain real estate tax appeals matters discontinued that representation. Later, a number of taxpayers retained the law firm to appeal the real estate…