We first saw this issue arise nearly 20 years ago and it still comes up. Again and again. Texas attorney Steve Gardner gave a great presentation in Portland, Oregon, at the 2008 NACA-NCLC Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, on this (and other) ethical issues.
What surprises us is that this issue keeps coming up again and again.
The answer isn't that tough. But apparently it's hard to accept and it's a very common problem.
Steve says it best. "Assuming you don't have such another plaintiff, can you make this agreement? Oh, hell, no."
Steve's presentation pointed out, with specific citations, that it is unethical for an attorney to agree to limit his/her future representation of victims of the same defendant. It's unethical to make such an agreement. More importantly, it's unethical to even propose such an offer.
It's really very simple. They can't ask. You can't agree.
As Steve points out, the basic concept is that "a client has the right to choose the best lawyer for the job and by taking yourself out of the mix, you are potentially denying a prospetitve, but unknown, client that option."
One attorney does not have the right to ask another attorney to agree to a settlement that requires their opposing counsel to agree in advance not to take on another case against the same defendant. And the second attorney does not have the right to agree to it either.
This kind of settlement means you are taking money now to give up your right to practice law for a future unknown client who may need your help. It's just plain wrong.
Surprisingly, though, it still keeps coming up. Time and again, defense attorneys try to get plaintiff's attorneys to agree to it. Why? Because their client wants to take Mickey Mantle out of the game. Mickey Mantle? That's you. You know, the only competent attorney who knows the defendant and how they play the game.
So, when your opposing counsel wants to offer you a very good settlement for your client and then adds that they want to make sure you aren't going to represent someone else against their client? Just say no.
You can't do it. As Steve Garner says, "it's just that simple."
