Final answer:
Professionals must not obey client requests that are illegal. Ethical and legal standards in professions such as law require professionals to refuse illegal requests and may necessitate reporting such activities. Historical examples of civil disobedience illustrate a distinction between opposing unjust laws and participating in illegal acts.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a client asks you to do something that is against the law, you must not break the law. According to professional ethics and legal obligations, neither the duty of obedience nor client loyalty extends to engaging in illegal acts. As a professional, you should refuse the request and may have a duty to report such actions if they involve certain types of crimes, especially if not reporting would itself be a violation of law. For instance, in the legal profession, attorneys are bound by ethical obligations to uphold the law and may face severe sanctions for assisting or encouraging illegal activities.
The Strickland v. Washington and Padilla v. Kentucky cases emphasize that lawyers must maintain an objective standard of reasonableness and inform clients of the consequences of their actions, particularly when it could result in serious outcomes like deportation. Furthermore, examples from civil disobedience highlight the distinction between recognizing governmental authority and resisting unjust laws, but even this does not condone engaging in illegal activity at the behest of a client.