Don’t Lie About CLE
Joseph Raymond Sanchez, a lawyer admitted to practice in both New York and Oregon, was required to complete 45 hours of CLE courses for the 2009 to 2011 reporting period. …
Friends Don’t Let Friends Do Improper Business Transactions With Clients
On March 9, 2017, the New Jersey Supreme Court censured a lawyer for engaging in improper business transactions with his longtime friend and client. See In re Lauletta, No. 078231 (N.J. Mar. …
House of Representatives Passes Bill to Expand Rule 11 Sanctions
On March 10, 2017, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 720, The Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2017 by a vote of 230-188. The bill seeks to amend Rule 11 of the …
Must a Lawyer Report Substance Abuse by Another Lawyer or by a Client?
Perhaps. A lawyer who has actual knowledge that another lawyer “has committed a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct that raises a question as to the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness or fitness …
Twenty-Seventh State Adops Duty of Technology Competence
In 2012, the ABA adopted an amendment to ABA Model Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.1, comment 8, providing that “a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its …
February 2017 Discipline
These lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations that were made public during the month of February 2017. Louisiana Supreme Court …
Clarify That Any Discount on a Legal Bill is Conditioned on Prompt Payment
Over the course of representing a client, the Boston law firm BourgeoisWhite, LLP, extended various “professional courtesy credits” to its client on legal bills. These discounts totalled more than $29,944 …
Be Careful Allowing Client to “Work Off” a Legal Bill
A recent complaint filed by disciplinary counsel in Illinois is a cautionary tale for lawyers who offer their clients the ability to “work off” an unpaid bill for fees. See In re …
How Long Must I Keep My Former Client’s File?
It depends. In deciding whether to discard a client’s file, a lawyer should consider the nature of the client, the matter, and the documents. Louisiana Rule 1.15(a) provides as follows: A lawyer shall hold …
ABA Calls for Comments on Proposed Amendments to Lawyer Advertising and Anti-Solicitation Rules
The ABA Standing Committee on Ethics & Professional Responsibility has called for comments on a comprehensive proposal by the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers to standardize lawyer advertising rules …