Date/Time: Friday, November 4, 2022, 12:00–12:50 p.m. CST
Topic: The (Bug)bear as a Client – Representing Sanctioned Clients in a Fragile World
Presenters: Dr. Michael H. Hoeflich & Dr. Freddy G. Sourgens
Description:
Can lawyers drop politically questionable clients under the immediate threat of US sanctions? This is currently a live question – and one over which US law firms have been willing to drop Russian and Russia-related clients in recent months. Similar problems previously arose in the context of Venezuela and other sanctioned regimes. These are questions to which there are answers, even if such answers can be difficult for counsel to swallow. In some instances, counsel may be able to, or in fact required to, withdraw. In others, however, they may be required to continue representation while also facing financial hardship due to U.S. sanctions.
This problem is systemic. Lawyers frequently represent clients who may at some point be subject to a future threat of sanctions but are not yet under sanctions at the time the representation begins. This CLE will discuss the ins and outs of entering into, and getting back out of, those representations, and will address whether different engagement structures may present different challenges for counsel in this regard.
CLE Credit:
This CLE webinar has been approved in KS and MO for 1.0 hour of ethics CLE credit.