A v. B
Supreme Court of New Jersey
726 A.2d 924 (1999)
The law firm Hill Wallack (HW) simultaneously represented a mother (plaintiff) in a paternity suit against a husband (defendant) and the husband and his wife in estate planning. The husband knew of the dual representation and didn't object, hiring separate counsel for the paternity case, but never told his wife or HW's estate lawyers about his illegitimate child. Once HW's estate attorneys learned of the child, the firm withdrew from the paternity case and sought to tell the wife about the child, since it could affect her estate plan.
Whether a lawyer may disclose a client's confidential information when the client used the lawyer's services to commit a fraudulent act and disclosure is needed to correct the fraud's consequences.