New York State Bar Opinion 917

Committee on Professional Ethics 

Topic: Non-lawyer marketers; bonus compensation to non-lawyer based on number of clients.

Digest of the Committee:

“A law firm may ethically pay a bonus to a nonlawyer employee engaged in marketing based on the number of clients obtained through advertising provided the amount paid is not calculated with respect to fees paid by the clients.  The law firm may not pay a fee for the referral or recommendation of a specific client.”

Rules:New York Rules of Professional Conduct 5.4, 7.2, 7.3

 

The full text is available at http://www.nysba.org…