What does MRPC Rule 1.7 specifically prohibit?

MRPC Rule 1.7 addresses the issue of conflicts of interest and specifically prohibits a lawyer from representing clients with conflicting interests unless certain conditions are met. The rule requires that a lawyer must not represent a client if the representation involves a concurrent conflict of interest. A concurrent conflict of interest exists when:

1. The representation of one client will be directly adverse to another client.

2. There is a significant risk that the representation of one or more clients will be materially limited by the lawyer’s responsibilities to another client, a former client, or a third person.

This rule exists to ensure that lawyers can provide undivided loyalty and advocacy to their clients. When a lawyer represents clients with conflicting interests, it compromises their ability to give focused representation and may harm one or more of the clients involved.

The other choices touch on different ethical obligations under the MRPC. For instance, sharing fees with non-lawyers is addressed under a different rule (Rule 5.4), while settling cases without client consent can violate a client's autonomy and decision-making rights (referenced in Rule 1.2). Advertising legal services falls under the guidelines of Rule 7.1 and other related rules. However, Rule 1.7's focus on conflicts of interest