Ethics Opinions

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Purchase of mailing list names for use in connection with offer to receive email educational newsletter. Digest of the Committee: “It is ethically permissible for an attorney or law firm to purchase a list of names to whom emails from the firm will be sent offering each recipient the opportunity […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Law firm business card of non-attorney; title of non-attorney law school graduate Digest of the Committee: “The law firm business card of a firm employee who is a law school graduate but is not admitted to practice may not list the employee’s J.D. degree or use the title ‘legal project manager’ […]

Topic: Lawyers’ Recommendations on Professional Networking Website   The full text can be found at: http://www.ncbar…

Committee on Professional Ethics  Topic: Law firm ownership of business that provides nonlegal services and pays for “leads” Digest of the Committee: “Law firm that owns an entity providing nonlegal SSDI services is not subject to legal ethics rules as to those services, and no ethical violation would arise from entity’s purchase of leads to […]

Committee on Professional Ethics – Opinion 933 Topic: Dual practice; real estate broker; law office. Digest of the Committee: “A lawyer may conduct a law practice and a real estate brokerage business in the same office, and may advertise them together provided that the advertising is neither false nor misleading, but may not act as […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Law firm names Digest of the Committee: “Law firm of solo practitioner cannot include ‘and Associates’ based on employment of paralegal” Rules: New York Rules of Professional Conduct 7.5(b), 7.5(c), 8.4(c)   The full text is available at http://www.nysba.org…

Committee on Professional Ethics  Topic: Lawyers’ business cards; recommendation of services. Digest of the Committee: “A lawyer’s photograph may be on the lawyer’s business card.  A lawyer may recommend other service providers provided that there is an appropriate disclaimer.” Rules: New York Rules of Professional Conduct 7.5(a)(i), 5.4, 7.2, 7.1(c) (3)   The full text […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Designation of Patent Attorney on Business Card; Inactive Status and Designation of Specialty Digest of the Committee: “An attorney whose registration/admission status before the United States Patent and Trademark Office is “inactive” may not use the designation patent attorney on his business card unless he notes that he is on […]

Committee on Professional Ethics  Topic: Referrals by Non-Lawyer; Attorney Fees Paid by Third Party Digest of the Committee: “Lawyer may not ethically enter into arrangement with a non-lawyer to accept referrals for a fixed monthly fee for each case referred where case has been obtained by telephonic solicitation.” Rules: New York Rules of Professional Conduct […]

Topic: Use of Client Testimonials in Advertising The full text can be found at: http://www.ncbar…