In case of dispute between lawyer and client regarding legal fees, what can the lawyer disclose?

In the context of a dispute between a lawyer and a client regarding legal fees, the lawyer is permitted to disclose information to establish a claim or defense related to that dispute. This means that in order to justify the fees charged or to defend against a claim made by the client regarding overcharging or mismanagement, the lawyer can disclose relevant information that supports their position in the dispute.

This principle is grounded in the necessity for legal practitioners to be able to defend their professional decisions and actions, especially in situations where a client questions the fee arrangement. The disclosure must be limited to what is necessary to support the lawyer's claims or defenses without revealing unnecessary personal or sensitive information about the client.

The other options reflect considerations that are not appropriate in this scenario. For instance, disclosing a client’s criminal history without proper relevance to the fee dispute, details that could harm the client’s reputation, or general background information that does not pertain to the legal fees would be inappropriate and could violate the duty of confidentiality owed to the client. Hence, the only legitimate and allowed disclosure in the context of a fee dispute is the information necessary to establish a claim or defense.