Legal & Judicial Ethics, 2015 Bar — Question XV

ESSAY

Jon served as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PBB Cars, Inc. (PBB), a family-owned corporation engaged in the buying and selling of second hand cars. Atty. Teresa renders legal services to PBB on a retainer basis. In 2010, Jon engaged Atty. Teresa's services for a personal case. Atty. Teresa represented Jon in a BP Blg. 22 case filed against him by the spouses Yuki. Jon paid a separate legal fee for Atty. Teresa's services. Jon subsequently resigned as CEO of PBB in 2011. In 2012, Atty. Teresa filed on behalf of PBB a complaint for replevin and damages against Jon to recover the car PBB had assigned to him as a service vehicle. Atty. Teresa, however, had not yet withdrawn as Jon's counsel of record in the BP Blg. 22 case, which was still then pending. Jon filed an administrative case for disbarment against Atty. Teresa for representing conflicting interests and violating the Code of Professional Responsibility. Atty. Teresa countered that since the BP Blg. 22 case and the replevin case are unrelated and involved different issues, parties, and subject matters, there was no conflict of interest and she acted within the bounds of legal ethics. Is Atty. Teresa's contention tenable? Explain.

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