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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 98-02 |
Division of Fees | Temporary Lawyers
- Payment to an independent or temporary lawyer on an hourly basis does not require disclosure to a client if there is close supervision. If work is delegated without close supervision then disclosure to a client is necessary.
- Rules of Professional Conduct allow division of fees between lawyers provided that disclosure is made to the client and client consents to the division of fees.
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Opinion 92-07 |
Temporary Lawyers
- A law firm may hire or retain individual attorneys to cover court call motions and depositions.
- An attorney hired by a law firm on an hourly basis to handle motions and depositions, should procure the client's informed consent (Rules 1.1(c) and 1.4) not necessarily in writing (1.5(f)).
- An attorney hired on an hourly basis is considered an associate attorney to a law firm.