Category: Ethics Opinions

Opinion 501

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #501- 01/05/1979 (62-78) conflict of interests, part-time public, town/village, zoning board Topic: Conflict of interests; assistant town attorney; zoning board of appeals. Digest: Assistant town attorney may not accept assignment to act as counsel to zoning board of appeals in connection with Article 78 proceeding … Continued

Opinion 500

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #500 – 12/06/1978 (52-78) advertisements, dual practice, employee, law office, letterhead, paralegals, patent practice, trademark practice Overrules in part #261 Topic: Letterhead; advertising; registered patent agents; paralegals Digest: Firm letterhead may list non-lawyer employees such as registered patent agents and paralegals to the extent that … Continued

Opinion 499

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #499 – 12/04/1978 (55-78) advertisements, advice, class action, communication, illegal conduct, newspaper, solicitation, unlawful of Topic: Solicitation; class action; communication with potential members of class in suit Digest: Lawyer may communicate with potential members of class in suit for purpose of obtaining information beneficial to … Continued

Opinion 498

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #498 – 11/03/1978 (49-78) conflict of interests, counsel, disciplinary proceedings, legal fees, misconduct, professional Topic:  Conflict of interest; counsel to professional society; disciplinary proceedings Digest: Counsel to state or local professional society may represent member of that society in proceedings instituted pursuant to Article 130 … Continued

Opinion 497

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #497 – 11/02/1978 (57-78) advertisements, appearance, conflict of interests, judges, office sharing, part-time public, public, sharing offices, town Topic:  Sharing office space; assistant public defender; village justice Digest: Assistant public defender may not share office space with village justice where any member of public defender’s … Continued

Opinion 496

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #496 – 11/01/1978 (44-78) children, existing clients, confidences, disclosure, duty of lawyer, employment, fiduciary Topic: Confidences of client; guardian of infant; disclosing violation of court order; withdrawal from employment Digest: Attorney for guardian of infant should disclose guardian’s unwillingness to comply with court order Code: … Continued

Opinion 495

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #495 – 10/12/1978 (46-78) corporation, illegal conduct, name, partnership, professional, unlawful or, use of Topic: Firm name; professional corporation; branch office Digest: Lawyers operating as professional corporation may not maintain branch office in associate’s name Code: EC 1-5, 2-11, 2-13, 6-6; DR 1-102(A)(4), 2-102(B), 7-102(A)(8) … Continued

Opinion 493

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #493 – 10/05/1978 (56-78) advertisements, advice, conflict of interests, dual practice, employment, legal fees, non-legal fees, illegal conduct, real estate, solicitation, spouse-lawyer, unlawful or Overrules in part #26, 114, 135, 206, 244 Topic: Dual practice; real estate broker; law office Digest: A lawyer may conduct … Continued

Opinion 494

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #494 – 10/05/1978 (50-78) advertisements, dual practice, law degree, name, self-laudation, use of Overrules in part #’s 22, 128, 200, 206 Topic: Dual practice; certified public accountant; letterheads; professional cards Digest: Letterhead and professional cards may state lawyer is licensed as a certified public accountant … Continued

Opinion 492

NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION Committee on Professional Ethics Opinion #492 – 09/13/1978 (45-78) prosecutors Clarifies #’s 227 and 419 Topic: Conflict of interests; appearance of impropriety; part­time district attorney; former defense counsel as public prosecutor Digest: Improper for newly elected part-time district attorney or any member of his legal staff to defend appeal or … Continued