(a) A lawyer is bound by the Rules of Professional Conduct notwithstanding that the lawyer acted at the direction of another person.

(b) A subordinate lawyer does not violate the Rules of Professional Conduct if that lawyer acts in accordance with a supervisory lawyer's reasonable resolution of an arguable question of professional duty.

Comment to RPC 5.2

As recommended by the Debevoise Committee, the Court has adopted ABA Model Rule 5.2. This rule is a corollary to RPC 5.1 ("Responsibilities of a Partner or Supervisory Lawyer"). As noted by the Debevoise Committee, while this rule has no counterpart in the Disciplinary Rules which these rules replace, "the need exists to state explicitly the paramount nature of the subordinate attorney's ethical obligations.

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