New York State Bar Opinion 943

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’ […]

Consiglio Nazionale Forense, decision of October 15, 2012, no. 152 (Consiglio Nazionale Forense, sentenza del 15 ottobre 2012, n. 152)

Topics: Lawyers’ advertisement Consiglio Nazionale Forense* (Italian National Bar Council) held — that pursuant to Law n. 248/2006 (conversion of Bersani Decree) professionals — can inform the public of their activities and the services they offer. However, indiscriminate advertisement, which does not not comply with ethical rules, is not allowed. Considering the social function of […]

New York State Bar Opinion 938

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 […]

New York State Bar Opinion 936

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Designation of departing former name partner, who is taking an in-house counsel position, as “Special Counsel” on letterhead. Digest of the Committee: “Whether a law firm may designate a departing name partner as ‘Special Counsel’ after removing his name from the firm name depends on the level of his continuing […]

New York State Bar Opinion 933

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 […]

New York State Bar Opinion 931

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…

New York State Bar Opinion 932

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 […]

New York State Bar Opinion 929

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 […]

New York State Bar Opinion 927

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 […]