Where do you start when you have an ethics question?

Most lawyers probably turn to the Rules of Professional Conduct. But often the answer will not jump out at you. It is difficult to know how to interpret the 400+ comments to the Rules. Then there are the more than 500 ABA Formal Ethics Opinions and many state ethics opinions, some of which conflict with each other. For thorny questions, it may be faster to reach out to us for help. 

I provide telephone and Zoom consultations on ethics and law practice issues. As my schedule permits, we may be able to connect within one to two business days. Some typical areas for consultations include:

• Conflicts of interest
• Retainer agreements
• Communicating with represented and I represented parties (Rules 4.2 and 4.3)
• Withdrawing from representation
• Navigating ethics restrictions on marketing
• Multi-jurisdictional practice
• Lawyer departures from law firms 
• Bar admissions 

The best way to initiate a consultation is to e-mail me using my contact information below. I will need to know whether your questions involve the conduct of another lawyer or law firm so that I can check for conflicts.

Pricing for consultations:

New Clients: The first 15 minutes of a consultation with a new client is free. After the first 15 minutes, we charge at our hourly rates with a minimum charge of $275. I have found that this arrangement allows lawyers to feel comfortable calling to ask a brief question but still permits me to charge for my legal advice for more complex matters.

Returning clients are subject to the minimum charge regardless of how short the call is, although I still exercise discretion over whether to charge for very brief questions.