Dec 15, 2020 By Heather Savage Telfer Assistant Bar Ethics Counsel Top Stories Your client disclosed that he or she is contemplating suicide—what do you do? First, the lawyer must determine whether the client is serious about the suicide threat. The website for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline lists the following warning signs: • Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves • Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun • Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live • Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain • Talking about being a burden to others