Attorney Confidentiality Violation in Disclosure to Prosecutor

The Supervisory Authority found that an attorney violated the professional duty of confidentiality under Article 13 of the Attorney Act by disclosing detailed information to the public prosecutor's office without the client's consent, despite the attorney's claim that the assistance provided was merely friendly consultation rather than formal legal representation. The court reasoned that the professional secret protects not only the fact of the mandate and the nature of the assignment but also any fact entrusted to the attorney in connection with the exercise of their profession, or facts perceived by the attorney themselves, provided they are known only to a limited circle and the client has a legitimate interest in their secrecy; the use of firm letterhead and the nature of the disclosed information, such as negotiating settlements, demonstrated that the relationship involved legal representation protected by the confidentiality rule.