
Ethics Opinion 1287: Whistleblower Using Confidential Information of Former Client
Opinion 1287 (10/21/2025) Topic: Whistleblower using confidential information of former client Digest: A New York lawyer may not ethically act as a relator in a qui tam action under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. §§ 3729–3733) against a former client, where the information…
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Ethics Opinion 1286: Requesting former clients to write Google reviews
Opinion 1286 (09/29/2025) Topic: Requesting former clients to write Google reviews Digest: A lawyer may ask a former client to write a Google review of the lawyer’s services, and may offer the former client a nominal gift for doing…
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Ethics Opinion 1285: Conflicts of Interest; Imputation of Conflicts of Interest
Opinion 1285 (09/29/2025) Topic: Conflicts of Interest; Imputation of Conflicts of Interest Digest: A lawyer who is employed by a private law firm that represents various municipalities in New York State may accept appointments as assigned counsel to represent indigent…
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Ethics Opinion 1284: Multi-Jurisdictional Practice; Referral Fees; Division of Fees
Opinion 1284 (09/16/2025) Topic: Multi-Jurisdictional Practice; Referral Fees; Division of Fees Digest: Lawyers admitted in New York and a foreign jurisdiction who associate with a lawyer admitted only in the foreign jurisdiction may divide a fee with that lawyer because Rule…
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Ethics Opinion 1283: Attorney’s Referrals to Title Abstract Company Owned by Referring Attorney
Opinion 1283 (08/20/2025) Topic: Attorney’s Referrals to Title Abstract Company Owned by Referring Attorney Digest: An attorney who owns an interest in a title abstract agency that brokers title insurance may not simultaneously (i) represent a client in a real…
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Ethics Opinion 1282: Disclosing Confidential Information to Non-Legal Staff
Opinion 1282 (07/07/2025) Topic: Disclosing Confidential Information to Non-Legal Staff Digest: A New York lawyer working in another state for a non-profit organization that operates both an immigration legal clinic and a shelter for non-citizens may not share information gained…
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Ethics Opinion 1281: Payments From a Lawyer’s Trust Account; Pay.gov
Opinion 1281 (04/09/2025) Topic: Payments from a lawyer’s trust account; Pay.gov Digest: With the client’s prior written approval, a lawyer may make an otherwise proper payment of funds from the lawyer’s trust account in the form of an online payment…
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Ethics Opinion 1280: Conflicts of interest, class actions
Opinion 1280 (03/31/2025) Topic: Conflicts of interest, class actions Digest: Under the New York Rules of Professional Conduct a lawyer may in some circumstances proceed pro se while also representing individual co-plaintiffs or co-defendants in the same matter. But whether…
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Ethics Opinion 1279: Prohibited referral fees
Opinion 1279 (02/18/2025) Topic: Prohibited referral fees Digest: A promise by a lawyer to pay a nonlawyer referrer to perform “administrative” work in connection with each matter referred to the lawyer constitutes a thing of “value” as compensation for or…
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Ethics Opinion 1278: Disclosure of prior relationship with witness.
Opinion 1278 (02/05/2025) Topic: Disclosure of prior relationship with witness. Digest: Under Rule 3.8(b), a prosecutor is required to timely disclose her past romantic relationship with a law enforcement officer in any case where the officer is to be a…
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