변호사 윤리로서의 설명의무 = A duty of the lawyer to inform the client of matters in the entrusted lawsuit

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

When a professional relationship exists, a lawyer as a representative of a client owes a wide range of duties. As a whole, those duties are called fiduciary duty. Between attorney and client, the one thing most important is keeping the client informed, following the client’s lawful instructions where the client is empowered to make decisions. The lawyer has a duty to keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matters, provide information when requested, and give the client sufficient information so that the client can make decisions about the representation where necessary. This could be understood as the expression of the client’s decision-making autonomy in the allocation of authority between the attorney and the client. So when anything of importance happens in the case the lawyer has a duty to communicate it to the client. If the lawyer receives a check in settlement of the client's case, or is informed by the court of an order granting a motion for a new trial, the lawyer must inform the client of this development.
In that situation, only the client has the right to make major decisions respecting the matter, such as whether to settle a civil case or whether to plead guilty in a criminal prosecution. The lawyer has to communicate with the client where these decisionsare concerned. The lawyer is also required to consult with the client as to the means by which the client’s objectives are to be pursued. If the decision is important enough, the lawyer may be required to consult with client before taking action, unless there is some kind of emergency or other need for a quick decision, such as an unexpected turn of events at trial. The feasible ways of the duty are made by oral, document, telephone, e-mail, fax or any admittable one.
The proper extent to inform ranges up to various things on facts or legal matters. This duty might continue even after the termination of the relationship in several sort of cases. A lawyer representing a party in a civil lawsuit must inform his client of an offer of settlement made by the other side. The client alone has the authority to decide whether to settle or not. A lawyer is subject to discipline for the failing to do so. At the same time the lawyer may be exposed to a significant malpractice judgement if the lawyer failed to inform the client of a settlement offer and the client lost at trial.
The duty is well linked up with the other fiduciary duties such as a duty not to refuse to be a representative for any poor client, a duty keeping confidence or a duty about conflicts of interest.

국문 초록 (Abstract)

이 논문은 변호사의 윤리의무의 하나인 설명의무를 고찰한 것이다. 변호사법과 그로부터 위임받은 대한변호사협회 회칙, 부속 규정으로서의 윤리강령 및 윤리규칙에서는 변호사의 설명의무에 관하여 극히 간략한 규정만을 두기 때문에 법조윤리의 논의에서는 해석론에 의존할 수밖에 없다. 그러나 국내에서의 이에 관한 판례는 근소하고 학설의 논의는 활발하지 못하다. 본고는 변호사의 설명의무에 관하여 10개의 논점을 다루었다. ① 변호사의 기본적 윤리의무, ② 윤리로서의 설명의무, ③ 설명의무의 본질, ④ 논의의 필요성, ⑤ 설명의무의 근거와 기능, ⑥ 설명의무의 내용과 범위, ⑦ 설명의무의 종료, ⑧ 설명의무의 한계, ⑨ 설명의무 위반의 효과, ⑩ 변호사의 다른 윤리의무와의 관계 요컨대, 변호사 윤리로서의 설명의무는 의뢰인의 자기결정권을 실질적으로 보장하는 기능을 한다. 그러므로 윤리(도덕)적 의무를 넘어 법적인 책임이 따르는 의무의 하나로 그의 본질, 내용과 범위가 충분히 논의 실천되어야 할 과제인 것이다.

참고문헌 (Reference)

1 "서울고법 2005.1.4.선고, 2004나 63424 판결"

2 "대법원 2004.5.14. 선고 2004다 7354 판결"

3 "대법원 2004, 5, 14. 선고 2004다 7354 판결"

4 "대법원 2002.11.22.선고, 2002다9479 판결"

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13 "2007.5.31.선고 2005다 5867 판결"

14 "2002.11.22.선고 2002다 9479 판결"