Idaho Law Blog
Lawyers operate under ethical rules that prevent us from representing a client when we have a “conflict of interest.” A lawyer has a conflict of interest when there is something about the case that might prevent the lawyer from representing his client’s interests as zealously as he might. This usually comes up because the lawyer already has a relationship with the other party. For instance, the person you intend to sue might be a client, a relative, or a friend. In that case, the lawyer will almost always have to decline your case.
If the lawyer is in a firm with other lawyers, she will have to decline the case if any of the other lawyers in the firm have a conflict. Similarly, if the person you want to sue is insured by a company that is a regular client of the firm, the lawyer will probably decline your case.
That is why lawyers usually want complete information about the other parties involved in a case before talking to you in detail. We must check our records to make sure there is no conflict before talking confidentially with you. As you can see, this is done for your protection as well as the lawyer’s.
Sometimes, especially in a small town, an important person or business might have so many contacts that every lawyer in town has a conflict. You might need to go out of town to find a personal injury lawyer who can take your case. Fortunately, in southeast Idaho the legal community is spread among several towns, so you probably will not have to go far. At Racine Olson Attorneys, we have offices in Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and Boise, and the ability to take cases anywhere in the state, as well as Wyoming and Utah. If we don’t have a conflict, we would be happy to talk to you about your case.