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Opinion 22-03 |
Law Firms | Multijurisdictional Practice | Unauthorized Practice of Law
It does not violate the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct for an Illinois-licensed lawyer to practice Illinois law from a geographic location outside of Illinois where the Illinois lawyer is not licensed.
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Opinion 20-08 |
Law Firms | Multijurisdictional Practice | Nonlawyer Assistants | Unauthorized Practice of Law
An out-of-state lawyer who is applying for admission in Illinois may work as a lawyer, from an office in Illinois, on cases in state and federal courts to which she is already admitted to practice, as long as those state and federal jurisdictions permit such practice. The lawyer also may work on Illinois legal matters under appropriate supervision, with disclosure that she is not admitted to practice in Illinois.
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Opinion 20-01 |
Law Firms | Nonlawyer Assistants
An employing lawyer or law firm may allow a law school graduate awaiting the bar exam or admission to the bar to perform many of the services normally performed by licensed first year associates, other than appearing in a legal proceeding, provided that the graduate’s work is reviewed by a supervising lawyer who takes responsibility for the work product and that the graduate and employing lawyer or law firm do not make false or misleading statements to clients or others regarding the graduate’s status at the firm.
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Opinion 19-04 |
Communication With Client | Law Firms | Nonlawyer Assistants | Outsourcing Legal and Legal Support Services | Temporary Lawyers
An Illinois lawyer may “outsource” legal and legal support services relating to a matter provided the lawyer reasonably believes that the other lawyers’ and nonlawyers’ services will contribute to the competent and ethical representation of the client and reasonable measures are taken to protect client information and to avoid conflicts of interest. Disclosure to, and informed consent by, the client will ordinarily be required. Informed client consent is always required if the lawyer delegates or transfers complete or substantial responsibility for a matter to an unaffiliated lawyer.
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Opinion 17-02 |
Client Files | Law Firms
A lawyer must maintain records that identify each client and reflect whether the client’s representation is active for an indefinite period of time. A lawyer must maintain all financial records related to the lawyer’s practice as well as complete records of trust account funds and other property of clients or third parties held by the lawyer for at least seven years.
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Opinion 16-06 |
Client Files | Confidentiality | Law Firms
A lawyer may use cloud-based services in the delivery of legal services provided that the lawyer takes reasonable measures to ensure that the client information remains confidential and is protected from breaches. The lawyer’s obligation to protect the client information does not end once the lawyer has selected a reputable provider.
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Opinion 16-01 |
Law Firm Name and Letterhead | Law Firms | Multijurisdictional Practice
A law firm organized as a professional corporation in a state other than Illinois, and registered as a law firm in its state of incorporation, is required to register as a law firm with the Illinois Supreme Court if one of its shareholders, admitted to the Illinois bar, practices law in Illinois in the name of the professional corporation.
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Opinion 12-14 |
Advertising and Solicitation | Communication With Client | Law Firm Partnership and Employment Agreements | Law Firms
After departure, an associate who has left a law firm may contact clients of the firm with whom he had an attorney-client relationship. The Rules of Professional Conduct do not preclude him from informing such clients that he has departed and that they have the right to continue with the firm or transfer the file to him.
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Opinion 12-06 |
Client Files | Law Firms
A lawyer must maintain records that identify the name and last known address of each client, and reflect whether the client’s representation is active or concluded, for an indefinite period of time. A lawyer must keep complete records of trust account funds and other property of clients or third parties held by the lawyer and must preserve such records for at least seven years after termination of the representation. A lawyer must also maintain all financial records related to the lawyer’s practice for not less than seven years.
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Opinion 95-02 |
Client Files | Law Firms
A lawyer no longer with a law firm may have access to closed files of that firm where the lawyer was in an attorney-client relationship with the client of the file in question.
- Opinion 90-06 | Law Firms
- Opinion 86-16 | Communication With Client | Law Firm Partnership and Employment Agreements | Law Firms
- Opinion 764 | Law Firms
