Final answer:
The subject of conflict of interest regarding duties to former clients under MRPC 1.9 is ethics. It involves the professional ethical obligations that lawyers must uphold to maintain integrity in the legal profession.
Step-by-step explanation:
The conflict of interest regarding duties to former clients under MRPC 1.9 primarily addresses the ethical responsibilities that lawyers have towards their former clients. The Model Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC) 1.9 specify conditions under which a lawyer is prohibited from representing a new client whose interests are materially adverse to those of a former client without prior consent. The subject matter of this question relates to the field of ethics, as it involves the professional ethical obligations and moral commitments that lawyers must uphold in their practice.
Sir William David Ross highlighted various prima facie duties, which include the duty of fidelity, reparation, gratitude, promoting the good, and non-maleficence. These duties, although not absolute, represent the complex moral landscape that professionals must navigate, including resolving conflicts between competing duties. In law, situations might arise where lawyers must balance these moral principles with their professional duties, such as the requirement to maintain client confidentiality versus the obligation to disclose information to prevent harm.
Additionally, the concept of conflicting duties is relevant to the legal profession, as demonstrated by the landmark case Glasser v. United States, which established that a conflict of interest in legal representation violates the Sixth Amendment. Lawyers must carefully consider these ethical principles when dealing with past client relationships to avoid conflicts of interest and uphold their professional integrity.