When may a lawyer limit the scope of representation?

• A. Only if court allows.
• B. With the client's informed consent.
• C. Only if the matter is small.
• D. Without any notice to the client.

Answer: (B)

A lawyer may limit the scope of representation only if the client has given informed consent. This means the attorney and client discuss exactly what tasks the lawyer will handle and what will not be included, and the client understands the implications, risks, and potential outcomes of limiting the representation. The consent should reflect that the client is choosing to proceed with a specific, narrower set of duties rather than having full, broad representation. It’s not something that a court imposes, and it isn’t tied to the size of the matter—the key requirement is that the client knowingly agrees to the restricted scope, ideally with clear understanding of what could be left unsupported by the lawyer. If the client later wants to expand or change the scope, the agreement can be revisited, still requiring informed consent.