Q: An attorney friend gave me free legal advice - is now trying to use the confidential information I gave him against me
He’s just an attorney and he told me I can ask him any advice and now he’s trying to use it against me because we’re not friends anymore. Threatening to go to the authorities
A: Additional facts may be needed to provide a thorough answer. The short answer is no. If you sought legal advice from your friend and he provided it, a confidential attorney-client relationship is formed even if you never hired your friend to represent you. All communication with him that falls within the attorney-client privilege is confidential and cannot be disclosed by your attorney/friend, with a few exceptions. As the "client" in this scenario, you are the holder of the privilege.
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