People Ex Rel. Deparment of Corporations. v. Speedee Oil Change Systems, Inc.

Opinion

CHIN, J.

When a conflict of interest requires an attorney’s disqualification from a matter, the disqualification normally extends vicariously to the attorney’s entire law firm. (See Flatt v. Superior Court (1994) 9 Cal.4th 275, 283 [36 Cal.Rptr.2d 537, 885 P.2d 950]. (Flatt).) This rule safeguards clients’ legitimate expectations that their attorneys will protect client confidences. (Id. at pp. 283-284.) Here, we decide whether the same rule should apply when a party unknowingly consults an attorney “of counsel” to the law firm representing the party’s adversary in the subject of the…