In Re Advisory Opinion No. 544 of the New Jersey Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

HANDLER, J.

We are called to consider in this case the application of attorney-client protections to the relationship between a public legal services organization and the individuals whom it assists. The issue posed is whether certain information relating to the clients of a legal services organization, which provides legal assistance to mentally impaired or disabled and indigent persons, may be disclosed to the private and governmental entities that provide funds to the organization, without violating the protections of confidentiality accorded…