The Connected Lawyer » Ethics http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com Leveraging Technology to Practice Law More Effectively Sat, 06 Sep 2008 21:19:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 en Electronically Archiving Your Client Files http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/114 http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/114#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:03:08 +0000 Bryan http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/114 ABAAre you considering archiving your closed client files only in an electronic format? If so, you should check out this article from the ABA. The article discusses the rules that apply in specific states, such as Maine, New York, and Missouri. This is good reading for anyone thinking about ditching those paper files permanently.

Additional information from the ABA about file retention can be found here.

]]> http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/114/feed This Will Save on Business Card Expenses http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/42 http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/42#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2007 18:42:27 +0000 Bryan http://www.theconnectedlawyer.com/archives/42 I know that this really has nothing to do with technology, but I could not pass on commenting on this. Susan Cartier Liebel of Build a Solo Practice LLC posted a few days ago about a proposed North Carolina ethics opinion that (and no I am not making this up) prohibits an attorney from giving a client,a non-client, a fellow attorney or an allied professional more than one business card or one firm brochure. As quoted by Susan, the examples state:

Inquiry:
If a client, non-client, fellow attorney, or allied professional requests one or more business cards or firm brochures from the estate-planning attorney, may the estate-planning attorney oblige the request?
Opinion:
The attorney may give a third party one of his business cards or one brochure in response to a request. The attorney may not give the third party multiple cards or brochures because of the risk of in-person solicitation by the third party on the attorney’s behalf.
Inquiry:
Along with a thank-you letter from the attorney to a client for the client’s having allowed the attorney to provide services to that client, may the attorney include a business card and/or firm brochure with the suggestion that the client, if so willing, pass it along to someone who the client thinks might need similar services?
Opinion:
No, because of the risk of in-person solicitation by the third party on the attorney’s behalf.
The actual proposals can be found on the North Carolina Bar’s website, about halfway down this page.
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have seen. Chuck Newton has similar thoughts on the “merits” of this proposal.
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