title: A proposal to require attorney disclosure when a client communicates intent to harm.
abstract: The attorney-client privilege has been and will remain sacred. But a human life is more sacred. When a life is threatened, and the attorney has knowledge of this danger, he also has an obligation to protect the potential victim. If reasonable care under the circumstances requires him to disclose certain confidences, then an exception to the rule of privilege must be made. DR 4-101 (c)(3) should be changed to reflect this obligation.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Fruman
mesh_terms: D003219:Confidentiality / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D017007:Duty to Warn / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D006801:Humans; D007603:Jurisprudence; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014481:United States