Which of the following describes a successive conflict?

A successive conflict occurs when an attorney has previously represented one party in a matter and then takes on a new client in a related or opposing legal matter. The critical aspect of a successive conflict is the relationship between the prior representation and the current one, which can create issues related to loyalty and confidentiality.

In the context of the provided options, a past client wanting to sue a former client accurately reflects a successive conflict. Here, the attorney’s prior allegiance to the former client creates a potential conflict when representing the new client in a legal action against that former client. This scenario raises ethical concerns about the ability to provide unbiased representation and protect the former client’s confidential information learned during the prior representation.

The other options describe different types of client conflicts but do not fit the definition of successive conflicts. Representing two clients in the same legal matter would be classified as a concurrent conflict. Conflicts arising due to ongoing client relationships may involve loyalty issues but do not necessarily imply that they stem from past representations. A current client presenting a case for a previous client does not capture the essence of a successive conflict as it does not highlight the conflicting interests arising from a prior engagement.