06/22/2004
Federal Trade Commission Will Not Enforce Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act Against Attorneys
New York State Bar Association v. FTC, Civ. Action No. 02-810 (U.S. D.C.); American Bar Association v. FTC, Civ. Action No. 02-1883 (U.S. D.C.)

Brief Summary

The mandatory rules of professional conduct required by each state protect client confidentiality better than enforcement of the Act ever would. Attorneys can not share personal information without their client's consent under the rules of professional conduct. As such, the confidentiality provisions provided by the Act were unnecessary to protect consumers of legal services. The Court's Order disallowing the FTC to enforce the Act against attorneys will, as a practical matter, alleviate the expense, waste and confusion for clients and attorneys which would have resulted from mass compliance with the Act.
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