Which scenario is a valid exception to confidentiality?

• A. To secure legal advice about compliance with the Rules.
• B. To disclose confidences to a journalist for public reporting.
• C. To reveal confidences to a friend for social reasons.
• D. To disclose confidences to a family member for personal matters.

Answer: (A)

Confidentiality is the default rule in the attorney‑client relationship, but it allows narrow disclosures when they’re necessary to obtain or receive legal advice about how to comply with the Rules. Disclosing confidential information to secure legal guidance about compliance with the Rules is exactly that kind of permissible exception: it helps the lawyer determine the proper ethical and legal course of action without sacrificing the client’s confidentiality more than is necessary.

Disclosing confidences to a journalist for public reporting or to a friend or family member for personal reasons isn’t related to obtaining or giving legal advice or defending against a disciplinary issue, so those disclosures would breach the duty of confidentiality.