NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Insurance, law firm, partnership Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 726 (02/02/2000) Topic: Staff counsel; law firm. Digest: A group of lawyers who are salaried employees of an insurance company and whose practice is exclusively in defense of the company’s policy holders may hold themselves out as a law firm … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Prosecutors, town Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion 725 – 12/8/99 Topic Assistant District Attorney appearing before sibling who is a Town Justice Digest: An Assistant District Attorney may not appear before a Town Justice who is a sibling, but must take steps to secure the Town Justice’s recusal. Other attorneys … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Legal assistance organization (qualified), wills Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 724 – 11/30/1999 Topic: Wills; obligations of law firm in regard to wills in its custody Digest: A lawyer who drafts a client’s will should agree in advance whether the lawyer will maintain the original will for safekeeping and, … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Former clients, confidences, conflict of interest Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 723 (10/12/1999) Modifies: N. Y. State 638 (1992) Topic: Conflict of interest; former client; vicarious disqualification; confiden-ces and secrets. Digest: Absent former client’s consent, a lawyer changing firms may not undertake representation adverse to the former client if … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Advertisements, letterhead Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #722 – 09/27/1999 Topic: Letterhead; certification Digest: A lawyer’s letterhead may refer to membership in a professional organization. However, if such membership implies certification in a legal field, the reference must comply with DR 2-105(C), which requires that (i) the certifying organization be … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Confidences, insurance Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #721 – 09/27/1999 Topic: Insurance carrier; third party research; unauthorized practice by lawyers not admitted in New York; confidences and secrets (briefs and memos prepared for client). Digest: Defense counsel may follow the direction of an insurance carrier to utilize a specified legal … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Former clients, conflict of interest Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #720 – 08/27/1999 Topic: Conflict Of Interest – Successive Representation; Moving Lawyer; Conflict Check Digest: When a lawyer moves from Firm A to Firm B, Firm B must request, and the moving lawyer may disclose, the names of clients represented … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Employment, matrimonial matters, retainer Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 719 – 07/28/1999 Topic: Retainer agreement; Domestic relations matters; Withdrawal from employment. Digest: Improper for lawyer to utilize retainer agreement in domestic relations matter which misleads client regarding circumstances under which lawyer may withdraw for nonpayment or other reasons. Code: … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Confidences, disclosure Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 718 – 07/28/1999 Topic: Confidential communications; disclosure of information relating to clients to bar association for compilation of statistical summary. Digest: A legal aid office representing clients in juvenile delinquency proceedings may provide information extracted from mental health evaluations to a bar … Continued
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Clients, funds of client, liens Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion # 717 – 04/15/1999 Topic: Medical liens; duty to pay funds to third party; missing lienor. Digest: Plaintiff’s attorney should pay holder of valid lien from settlement proceeds. If client disputes amount or validity of lien, attorney should remit to … Continued