Legal Ethics Lab—Outside Legal Ethics Counsel
Many solo and small firm practitioners simply cannot afford and often do not realize the invaluable benefits of an in-house ethics (general) counsel to handle day-to-day ethical issues; and to provide proactive advice about potential risk and liability. Benefits reinforced in Stock v. Schnader, Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP, 142 AD3d 210 (1st Dept 2016), a legal malpractice action. There, the Court held that “attorneys who have sought the advice of their law firm’s in-house general counsel on their ethical obligations in representing a firm client may successfully invoke attorney-client privilege to resist the client’s demand for the disclosure of communications seeking or giving such advice.” Id. In so holding, the Court rejected the “fiduciary exception” and the “current client exception.”
Benefits | Gold (Solos) |
Platinum (Up to 3 Attorney Firms) |
Diamond (Up to 5 Attorney Firms) |
---|---|---|---|
Annual Ethics Audits | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Annual Escrow Audits (one account—6 months) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Grievance Complaint Review | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Less than 15 minutes calls | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Annual Consultations (up to 1 hour each) | 4* | 8* | 15* |
Private CLE | No | No | Yes |