Under Model Rule 1.13, when an officer's wrongdoing harms the organization, what is the lawyer's duty?

• A. Take reasonable steps to protect the organization, including advising higher authority and seeking remedies within the organization.
• B. Ignore the wrongdoing and continue representing the officer.
• C. Publicly disclose the wrongdoing to the press.
• D. Represent the officer exclusively.

Answer: (A)

Under Model Rule 1.13, the organization is the client. When an officer’s wrongdoing harms the organization, the lawyer must take steps to protect the organization, starting with informing the organization’s highest authorities and pursuing remedies within the organization. The goal is to stop the misconduct and remedy its impact through internal channels before taking any outside action. This is why advising higher authority and seeking internal remedies is the correct duty. Ignoring the issue or continuing to represent the officer would put the lawyer against the organization’s interests, and publicly disclosing to the press is not the first or appropriate step given the internal remedies available and the confidentiality framework. If internal measures prove insufficient, the lawyer may consider other actions allowed by the rules to protect the organization, but the initial duty centers on internal steps to address the harm.