Accepting funds from a third party to pay a client's legal fees without client consent raises issues under which rules?

• A. Conflicts of interest and third-party payments; generally improper without informed consent
• B. Confidentiality Rule
• C. Advertising Rule
• D. Supervisory Rule

Answer: (A)

Third-party funding of a client's legal fees creates a real risk of conflicts of interest that can compromise the lawyer's loyalty to the client. The presence of a payer outside the client can influence decisions about strategy, settlement, or even which facts to emphasize, unless the client is informed and consents in writing after full disclosure. Therefore, the lawyer may accept such funds only with the client's informed consent, protecting the client's control over the representation. Other rules like confidentiality, advertising, or supervisory rules don’t directly address this payment dynamic, so the central concern is the potential conflict of interest and the need for informed client consent.