I am a young lawyer and I would like to know how long the attorney-client privilege or the Rule of Confidentiality lasts. Does it end upon the death of a client, the suspension of an attorney or the death of the attorney?

The question is somewhat frightening and worrisome if the answer is not known after going to law school. Years ago in law school, when professional responsibility was not taught, was only an elective or a one-hour course, perhaps the question might be understandable. But now, when every lawyer has to take two hours of CLE ethics credits each year, and in law school, students are taught a regular ethics course, and the bar examination has a separate ethics examination, it is hard to understand why this answer would not be known. The answer is very straightforward. The attorney-client privilege, whether by statute, common law, or the rule of confidentiality, which is by the Rules of Professional Conduct 1.6 remains after the death of the client, is not changed by the fact that a lawyer who has the information is suspended, disbarred, or retired, or the lawyer has died. The confidentiality lasts forever.