When may client information be disclosed?

• A. Always disclose when asked
• B. Only with consent
• C. Only with legal obligation
• D. Consent, proper legal obligation, or where privileged communications require disclosure

Answer: (D)

Confidentiality of client information is central to the solicitor–client relationship. You don’t disclose information just because someone asks for it; disclosure is only allowed under specific, lawful grounds. The valid grounds are threefold: with the client’s consent, when there is a proper legal obligation to disclose (such as a statutory duty or a court order), or where the information involves privileged communications and disclosure is required or permitted by that privilege (for example if the client waives privilege or a court orders disclosure). Because any of these three situations can justify disclosure, the option that covers consent, proper legal obligation, or privilege-related disclosure is the correct one. The other possibilities are too narrow, as they either imply disclosure is automatic or restrict disclosure to only one circumstance.