Referencing the ABA's 'Model Rules of Professional Conduct', which ethics rule, if any, does Tom Hagen violate in this scene?

Not quite sure but Tom was not Sal's legal counsel. He is in charge of the Corleone family legal affairs which has client/laweyer privilage. His loyalty and counsel is with Michael and not Sal. Tom knows a crime is about to be commited but does he have the legal ability to report it to the authorities with out violating lawyer/client privilege? If he does report it, does he run a chance of being disbarred because of that violation? Also he would be in the same boat as Sal since he would have sold out the family.

quote:

Originally posted by SFCUSARET:
Tom knows a crime is about to be commited but does he have the legal ability to report it to the authorities with out violating lawyer/client privilege?

Just the opposite. Tom is Michael's lawyer and know Michael is going to have Tessio whacked.

An exception to the attorney-client privilege is a situation where the attorney is required to breach his duty of confidentiality to his client in order to prevent death or serious injury.

Rule 1.6(b)(1): A lawyer may reveal information relating to the representation of a client to the extent the lawyer reasonably believes necessary: to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm.

I recently took a required continuing legal education class on legal ethics. The fellow teaching the class used movie clips to present the ethical dilemmas for discussion. The Tessio clip was one of the examples. It was the best CLE class I've had.

A lawyer *may* disclose in this situation, but is not required to.

I noticed that in the rule, but the instructor indicated disclosure was required. I'm in Illinois, and so the rule might be different here.

EDIT: I just checked the Illinois rule and it is mandatory.

(c) A lawyer shall reveal information relating to the representation of a client to the extent the lawyer reasonably believes necessary to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm.

Wait a minute. You're sayin' a mob lawyer should have ethics?

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Originally posted by cne32507:
Wait a minute. You're sayin' a mob lawyer should have ethics?

Remember, this is a theoretical question.

But would a lawyer have to reveal information if doing so would get him wacked?

Yes, as I understand it lawyers actually 'work' for the court and are required to report any potential illegal activity that their client is planning. this is entirely different from anything the client has actually already done.