Caution!

An attorney who self-reported a sexual relationship with a law firm client has been cautioned by the Arkansas Committee on Professional Conduct

 Mr. Sarver’s then law firm represented a client in a civil matter, and during the course of his representation the two began a sexual relationship. The sexual relationship had not been in place prior to the commencement of the client-lawyer relationship. The lawyer-client relationship was in place when Mr. Sarver admitted this conduct in his December 23, 2013 letter to the Office of Professional Conduct and through follow-up communications with OPC.

Note that the violation is predicated on the law firm’s representation of client rather than the attorney’s personal involvement in the civil matter. (Mike Frisch)