When withdrawing from a case, what is a lawyer required to do?

When a lawyer decides to withdraw from a case, the primary obligation is to protect the rights of the client. This responsibility encompasses several actions, including ensuring that the client does not suffer any prejudice as a result of the withdrawal. The lawyer must give adequate notice to the client about the withdrawal and may need to assist the client in finding new representation, if necessary. Protecting the client's rights means ensuring that the client's interests are safeguarded during the transition.

While informing the court of the withdrawal is an important step, it is secondary to the fundamental duty of ensuring that the client's rights are preserved. Similarly, assisting the client until the end of the case or transferring the case to another lawyer may be appropriate in some contexts, but the lawyer's foremost obligation revolves around the protection of the client's interests and rights throughout the withdrawal process. This foundational principle is rooted in the ethical standards that govern attorney conduct, emphasizing the importance of the attorney-client relationship and the need to avoid harm to the client.