Indiana lawyers should be careful in affiliating with non-lawyer companies or out-of-state law firms because the practice presents potential ethical pitfalls, the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission said in an advisory opinion.
The model—known as “license rental"—involves the non-Indiana firm or non-lawyer business directing cases to an Indiana lawyer for a portion of the fees, “often while requiring relatively minimal work or involvement by the Indiana lawyer,” the commission said.
Hazards for Indiana attorneys engaging in these arrangements include assisting the unauthorized practice of law under Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5(a); abdication of professional independence under Rules 1.8(f) and ...
Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:
See Breaking News in Context
Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis.
Already a subscriber?
Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.