The Final Report of the CBA Task Force on Conflicts of Interest: The triumph of common sense over formalism
31 Aug 2008
In August 2008, the CBA Task Force on Conflicts of Interest released its Final Report, setting out 21 recommendations designed to modernize the Canadian bar’s ethical rules on dealing with conflicts of interest.
As I indicated here previously, the CBA adopted all 21 recommendations at the Canadian Legal Conference on August 18, 2008.
The Task Force has done an excellent job of articulating the ethical principles upon which our rules on conflicts of interest are based. By keeping those principles firmly in mind, the 21 recommendations will streamline and modernize our rules on conflicts of interest, while maintaining the protection that the underlying principles have always provided clients.
Properly understood, the clarity that the recommendations offer has the potential to lead to a better understanding both on the part of the public and the profession of the expectations surrounding the legal retainer.
