Every client's information is protected by a strict duty of confidentiality that survives the retainer itself — and knowing its limits is as important as knowing the rule.
The duty of confidentiality continues long after a retainer ends, and breaching it carries professional and civil consequences, so the boundaries matter as much as the rule. This chapter sets out what the duty covers, who within a firm it binds and to whom it is owed, before showing how strict the duty is in practice — careless disclosure, self-serving use of information and unnecessary internal sharing can all amount to breach. It then works through the exceptions, from valid client consent and disclosure required by law to the serious-harm, crime-fraud and self-defence grounds, and the special demands of money laundering, including the bar on tipping off and what to do with a retainer used for ongoing crime. Finally, it explains how confidentiality–disclosure conflicts between clients are resolved, the remedies available for improper disclosure, and how the duty differs in scope and exception from legal professional privilege.
