LEO: Intermediary - Legal Employment  LE Op. 609

 

Intermediary - Legal Employment.

 

November 14, 1984

 

An attorney is contacted by two separate organizations to provide

services to its customers. The first organization contacts the attorney to

perform title work for a prospective lender. The second organization

locates an attorney for representation of an employer at unemployment

compensation appeal hearings. In both situations, the customer of the

intermediary is the local attorney's client and the attorney owes to that

client duties of zealous representation, independent professional judgment

and the preservation of confidences and secrets. It is improper for the

attorney to share his attorney's fees paid by the client with the

nonlawyer intermediary. [ DR:3-102, EC:3-8, DR:4-101(B)(1), (2), (3),

 DR:5-106(B), EC:5-23, LE Op. 480]

 

Committee Opinion November 14, 1984

 

CROSS REFERENCES

 

See also LE Op. 1276, and LE Op. 1374.