Terminating an attorney-client relationship is not an easy decision nor one that can be taken lightly. Ethical rules may govern a matter’s early termination, in part to protect clients’ interests. And attorneys in certain practice areas may need to exercise additional care to ensure they do not run afoul of the rules. Nevertheless, many attorneys can find themselves in a situation where the most positive outcome for themselves and their client is to end the relationship.

A preliminary consideration for attorneys in this scenario is whether the representation involves an ongoing litigation matter. In those cases, the court may be obligated to approve an attorney’s withdrawal. Some courts may even require the withdrawing attorney to stay on the matter until sufficient replacement counsel can be found. On the other hand, in nonlitigation matters an attorney may only need to follow the ethical rules without regard for the court’s rules.