Choice of Law and Conflicts of Interest: One Misstep Can Trigger Multi-State Discipline and Liability

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal | Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal is a dually qualified U.S. and Italian attorney whose practice bridges Civil Law and Common Law systems. With more than two decades of experience advising multinational corporations, law firms, and financial institutions, she focuses on cross-border ethics, international professional responsibility, and multijurisdictional practice issues. Known as a “lawyer for lawyers,” she frequently counsels firms on conflicts of interest, international privileges, and professional-conduct compliance across jurisdictions, often addressing complex choice-of-law issues in attorney discipline and malpractice exposure. As co-founder of Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC, she also contributes to advancing education on ethics and technology through her work with Technethics.

• Education & Credentials

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal is dually qualified as an attorney in the United States and Italy, reflecting her ability to navigate both Common Law and Civil Law systems. Her credentials support a practice focused on international legal ethics, professional responsibility, and cross-border legal compliance.

• Recognition & Leadership

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal is recognized for her leadership in cross-border legal ethics and professional responsibility, particularly through her role as co-founder of Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC. She also plays a key leadership role in Technethics, an educational platform focused on the intersection of ethics, technology, and cross-border compliance, helping shape thought leadership in these areas.

• Professional Involvement

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal is actively involved in advising law firms and legal professionals on international ethics and compliance issues, including conflicts of interest, privilege, and multijurisdictional professional conduct. Through her work with Technethics, she contributes to education and dialogue حول
the evolving challenges at the intersection of technology, ethics, and global legal practice.

• Experience

Francesca Giannoni-Crystal has over 20 years of experience advising multinational corporations, law firms, and financial institutions on cross-border legal and ethical issues. Prior to co-founding Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC in 2011 with Professor Nathan M. Crystal, she worked as a legal consultant for the Italian Industrial Association and practiced with Deloitte Legal, handling transactional and regulatory matters for global enterprises. She later managed legal affairs for a publicly traded Italian company with international subsidiaries, overseeing contract negotiations, data privacy, and corporate governance across multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, and Brazil. Her work continues to focus on helping attorneys and firms manage risks arising from overlapping professional-conduct rules across jurisdictions.

Nathan M. Crystal | Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC

Nathan M. Crystal is an attorney and scholar widely recognized for his expertise in professional responsibility and contract law. Over the course of his distinguished career, he has advised individuals, law firms, and organizations on complex ethical and contractual issues and has served as an expert witness or consultant in more than 100 multimillion-dollar cases. A longtime academic, he is the Class of 1969 Professor Emeritus of Professional Responsibility and Contract Law at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he taught for 34 years, and currently serves as an adjunct professor at New York University. In 2011, he co-founded Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC, continuing his work in professional responsibility and contract law while contributing to global discussions on legal ethics.

• Education & Credentials

Nathan M. Crystal is an attorney with a distinguished academic and professional background in professional responsibility and contract law. He holds the title of Class of 1969 Professor Emeritus of Professional Responsibility and Contract Law at the University of South Carolina School of Law and currently serves as an adjunct professor of Professional Responsibility at New York University.

• Recognition & Leadership

Nathan M. Crystal has held numerous leadership roles throughout his career, including serving for over 20 years on the South Carolina Bar Ethics Advisory Committee, where he also served as chair, and as a member of the New York City Bar Ethics Advisory Committee. He also chaired the International Law Committee of the South Carolina Bar, reflecting his leadership in both domestic and international legal ethics.

• Professional Involvement

Nathan M. Crystal has been extensively involved in the legal profession through advisory, academic, and speaking roles. He has lectured worldwide on professional responsibility and contract law and has held visiting academic appointments at leading universities across the United States, Europe, and Asia, contributing to the global development of legal ethics and professional standards.

• Experience

Nathan M. Crystal’s experience spans decades of legal practice, scholarship, and consulting. He has advised individuals, law firms, and organizations on complex issues of professional ethics and contract interpretation and has served as an expert witness or consultant in more than 100 multimillion-dollar cases. His career includes 34 years of teaching at the University of South Carolina School of Law, as well as ongoing teaching at New York University. In addition, he co-founded Crystal & Giannoni-Crystal, LLC in 2011, where he continues to focus on professional responsibility and contract law, while also engaging in international lecturing and academic work.

I. Multiple consequences of lawyer misconduct | 1:00pm – 1:30pm

II. Choice-of-law standards for the different consequences | 1:30pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

III. Conflicts of interest as a case study | 2:10pm – 2:40pm

IV. Risk management (including Engagement Agreements) and the role of the law firm’s general counsel | 2:40pm – 3:10pm