責任保險利益衝突下抗辯律師專業責任之研究

A Study on the Professional Responsibilities of Insurance Defense Lawyers under Circumstance of Conflicts of Interest in Liability Insurance

現代責任保險之功能已從純粹的損失填補契約，演進至具有保障被保險人財務安全與心境安寧之訴訟保險，提供被保險人對於責任關係之抗辯與和解乃是達成此功能之最佳方法。一般保險人履行抗辯與和解之方式，乃是聘請抗辯律師為之。由於抗辯律師為保險人所選任或由其同意為之，故雖抗辯律師被聘任之主要目的乃係為被保險人進行責任關係之抗辯而存在，但其可能基於與保險人間之業務關係而將保險人的利益置於被保險人之上。尤其，在責任保險關係具有利益衝突時，即保險人與被保險人之利益不一致時，實行責任關係訴訟之抗辯律師的行為即具有重要性。我國近年來雖對於律師專業責任有所研究，但對於保險抗辯律師身處更為複雜之利益衝突情況下，其專業責任之義務與責任卻少有論及。本文以責任保險相關法制最為發達的美國為基礎，介紹責任保險關係人之利益衝突情況下抗辯律師之專業責任，包含抗辯律師之代理的當事人、範圍及其行為標準等學說見解與司法判決之看法，並剖析我國目前現況，參酌美國法上之發展，建構我國抗辯律師專業責任之理論基礎並提出適合我國之相關建議。希冀藉由本文之論析，除能使我國律師專業責任體系能更加完整，並使得責任保險相關制度能達到其應有之功能。 The function of current liability insurance has evolved from contract of indemnity into litigation insurance which provides the insured with financial security and peace of mind. One of the best ways to achieve the function is to provide with the assistance of defense in the claim which the third party victim filed against the insured. The insurer usually retains a lawyer to defend the claim for the insured. Although the retainer agreement is made for defending the claim for the insured, the defense lawyer may act to put the insurer's interests ahead of the insured's based on the long-term dependence on the insurer. The acts of defense lawyer are important especially under circumstances which there are conflicts of interest between the parties, which means the interests of each part differs from the others'. In recent years, there are plenty of researches related to lawyer's professional responsibility but none of those involves the professional responsibility of the defense lawyer who often faces the complicated situations of conflicts of interest. With the applicant's introducing the legal system in the United States where the development of liability insurance and the related affairs is the most blooming in the world, this paper includes scholar theories and judicial opinions in the clients, scopes of representation and standards of act of the defense lawyer while facing conflicts of interest. In conclusion, in addition to analyzing the related issues in Taiwan, this paper will try to establish the foundation of defense lawyer's profession responsibility in Taiwan and indicates some suggestions fit to our legal system with reference to the development in the United States. The author hopes that this paper can improve the system of lawyer's professional responsibility and accomplish the proper function of the related system of liability insurance.