Michael Cohen’s admission that he lied to Congress, along with details in his recent sentencing materials, raise questions about how closely he followed the advice of his then-lawyer, a McDermott Will & Emery partner, some legal observers said.

But Cohen’s former lawyer is far from the only attorney who has had a client go astray in government interviews, said legal ethics experts, noting that strong-willed defendants have frequently lied to the government, even when represented by skilled counsel.