Under MRPC Rule 1.11, what is expected of lawyers with prior government service?

Under Rule 1.11 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, lawyers who have previously served in government positions are expected to avoid conflicts that stem from their past work. This rule emphasizes the importance of maintaining the integrity of the legal profession and preventing any potential misuse of confidential information obtained during government service. The rationale behind this provision is to protect the public's trust in government lawyers, ensuring that they do not take advantage of privileged information or relationships that could affect their duties to current clients.

While other options may have some relationship to ethical considerations, they do not specifically pertain to the obligations imposed on lawyers with prior government service under this rule. For example, representing any client without restrictions could lead to significant ethical dilemmas, and a requirement to disclose all prior clients is not a standard expectation under the rules. Additionally, the suggestion that lawyers must practice in a different jurisdiction has no basis in the text of Rule 1.11. Instead, the focus is specifically on managing conflicts of interest that arise due to previous government roles, making it essential for those lawyers to navigate their new private practice roles carefully.