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Ask the Ethics Maven

Got questions on Ethics issues? 

We would like to help answer some of those pesky questions on ethical issues.  Eric Cooperstein (Law Offices of Eric T. Cooperstein) and Peter Berge (Minnesota CLE) will moderate this forum.  Eric practices in the area of legal ethics and attorney discipline and formerly prosecuted attorney discipline cases with the Office of the Director of Professional Responsibility in Minnesota.  Peter Berge has been a law professor and practicing lawyer for over 20-years.  He is currently the Web Education Director for Minnesota CLE and serves on the Fourth District Ethics Committee (Hennepin County in Minnesota) where he investigates attorney discipline cases.

We cannot promice to answer all questions asked but we will try to get to as many as practical.  We reserve the right to edit the questions so they better fit the format of this forum.  In no way are Mr. Cooperstein or Mr. Berge seeking to give legal advise or create an attorney client relationship.  Our intent is to answer general questions with general ethical principles and the ABA's Model Rules.  Questioners should understand that the specific rules applying in your state may vary dramatically from those general ethical principles and the ABA Model Rules.

So with that, we are looking forward to hear what is on your mind.

- Eric & Peter

 

Can I Pay Referral Fees?

  E-mail
Monday, 22 December 2008 00:00

I have a personal injury practice in Minnesota.  Can I pay referral fees to attorneys who send me cases?

This is one of those ethical issues that varies widely from state to state.  In some you, in some you can't.  Even if you can, there are often regulations on just how you can pay referral fees. 

 

 

The answer in Minnesota happens to be, "Yes, but you have to make sure you dot a few 'i's and cross a few 't's."  Eric Cooperstein has written a good outline of Minnesota law which we have published in the Ethics Section of this Website.  Those of you in other states, you will want to have a good understanding of your local rules before paying referral fees.

- Peter Berge
 


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