Ethics Opinions

Committee on Professional Ethics – Opinion No. 709 Topic: Use of Internet to advertise and to conduct law practice focusing on trademarks; use of Internet e-mail; use of trade names Digest of the Committee: “Attorney may operate and advertise a trademark practice over the Internet, as long as attorney complies with (a) the Code’s obligations to […]

Committee on Professional Responsibility of the Vermont Bar Association Topic: Communications with clients by unencrypted e-mail; Webpage advertisement and soliciting Digest of the Committee: “A lawyer does not violate DR 4-101 by communicating with a client by e-mail, including the Internet, without encryption. The use of an Internet web site to communicate with clients and prospective […]

Opinion No. 249 of the District of Columbia Bar’s Legal Ethics Committee Topic: Lawyer Advertising Summary of the Committee: “Rule 7.1(a) permits truthful claims of lawyer specialization so long as they can be substantiated. Claims that a lawyer can help a client ‘when others cannot’ are inherently incapable of substantiation and are prohibited by Rule […]

Committee on Professional Ethics  (Overrules in part Opinion No. 22, 128, 200, and 206) Topic: Dual practice; Certified Public Accountant; Letterheads; Professional Cards Digest of the Committee: “Letterhead and professional cards may state lawyer is licensed as a certified public accountant” Code (opinion issued prior to adoption of current rules): DR 2-101 (A) through (D), […]

Committee on Professional Ethics  Topic: Listing of Lawyer Admitted only in Foreign Jurisdiction on Letterhead of New York firm Digest of The Committee: “A lawyer admitted only in a foreign country may be listed as an associate on the letter-head of a New York law firm if there is an appropriate indication that he is […]

Committee on Professional Ethics  Topic: Letterhead Digest of the Committee: “Improper to list an attorney as ‘inactive’ on firm’s letterhead after he has commenced practice in another jurisdiction” Code (opinion issued prior to adoption of current rules): EC 2-11; DR 2-102(A)(4); 2-102(B), (C)   The full text is available at http://www.nysba.org…

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Professional Cards; Indication of Foreign Language Ability Digest of the Committee: “Professional card may not indicate foreign language ability but may be printed in English and one other language” Code (opinion issued prior to adoption of current rules): DR 2-102(A)(1); 2-102(A)(6); 2-103(A); Canon 2   The full text is available […]