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Archiver > APG > 2003-10 > 1066405970


From: Connie Lenzen <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Ethical Question
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 08:57:30 -0800
References: <12.36fcd266.2cb98aa8@aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <12.36fcd266.2cb98aa8@aol.com>


I had a similar situation. I let client #1 know about potential client #2.



The reason that I let client #1 know about the other person is that
I, too, had questions about the morality of the situation. It didn't
feel right to me. In cases like that, I let my conscience be my guide.


The bottom line to my decision was that the two people got together
and went on to do their research together. I did not receive as much
work because they did combine their research.

However, I was left with a feeling that I had done the right thing.
That is worth a lot to me.

Regards,
Connie Lenzen





> I had the opportunity to discuss this question with some colleagues this
>morning and they all suggested that I throw it open to the list.
>
> I have a client (Client #1) who requested that I research her Jones line
>(names have been changed). Her known ancestor was Sally Jones and, through
>research for her, I have discovered that Sally's father was Samuel
>Jones and that
>his father was William Jones. She wants me to continue tracing the line back.
>
> Last week I received a query from another potential client who asked for
>rates, terms, etc and, this morning, I received an e-mail from him
>accepting the
>terms and requesting that I research his Smith line and imparted to me what he
>already knew of his ancestry. (Client #2) It turns out that his ancestor,
>Alexander Smith, married the sister of Samuel Jones ’Äì meaning that the Sally
>Jones of Client #1 is the niece and namesake of Client #2's Sally
>(Jones) Smith,
>wife of Alexander Smith and that both clients are related through William
>Jones. He also is aware that the elder Sally Jones was the daughter of William
>Jones. Client #2 mentioned that, once I'd completed research on his
>Smith line,
>he'll want me to research his Jones line.
>
> Now, if the Jones line research was completed, I wouldn't have a problem. I
>would contact Client #1 for permission to share the completed research or,
>alternatively, find a way to get the two together. After all, they
>are cousins.
> And, if Client #1 declined to allow me to share the information that she had
>paid me to find, I would sadly inform Client #2 that I could not work on that
>specific line and refer him to another competent researcher.
>
> But that's not the situation. Both clients are concurrent and I'll be
>charging Client #1 for research I know that Client #2 will request in the
>relatively near future. Nothing that I've read seems to cover this
>situation and the
>colleagues with whom I discussed it this morning were similarly unaware of
>seeing anything. I'd be very interested to hear from anyone on the
>list as to what
>they consider to be the most ethical solution to this problem. Thank you.
>Bob Keener
>
>______________________________


~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Connie Lenzen, CGRS*
10411 SW 41st Avenue
Portland, OR 97219-6984

Phone: 503-244-4357
Fax: 503-245-4723

Connie's webpage: http://www.orednet.org/~clenzen/

*CGRS is a service mark of the Board For Certification of
Genealogists, Washington, DC and is used under license.

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