Presentation: Lawyers As Whistleblowers

Part 5 of a 6-part series entitled “Whistleblowing in the Corporate World Series”
This is a six-part presentation series hosted by West Legal Edcenter, part of Thomson Reuters.
Presenter: Jordan A. Thomas

At one time, attorneys’ duty to maintain corporate clients’ confidences, even in the face of anticipated or ongoing corporate wrongdoing, was thought to be virtually absolute. But that changed over time, as relevant rules and laws gave lawyers greater discretion to make public disclosures to avert corporate clients’ misconduct.

Indeed, following the enactment of the whistleblower provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, attorneys will sometimes have not only discretion but a financial incentive to blow the whistle, as well as anti-retaliation protections when they do so.

Download Original Presentation

What You Will Hear:

• General professional responsibility considerations for attorneys
• Overview of the whistleblower provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act
• When and how attorneys have historically been permitted to report client misconduct
• Federal preemption of select state attorney conduct rules
• Recommendations for attorney whistleblowers