ISBA Ethics Opinions on Business Transactions with Clients

Opinion 23-03 | Business Transactions with Clients | Conflict of Interest | Referral Fees and Arrangements
Lawyer receiving fee for referring client to investment advisor

A lawyer who receives compensation in exchange for the referral of clients to an investment advisor has a conflict of interest and is involved in a business transaction with a client. Whether a lawyer can engage in such a transaction must be analyzed on a case-by-case basis.
Opinion 13-04 | Business Transactions with Clients | Conflict of Interest | Government Lawyers
Lawyer owner and officer of financial institution serving as counsel to municipality which does business with financial institution
Opinion 99-06 | Business Transactions with Clients | Conflict of Interest - Transactional Matters
Lawyer acting as a trust administrator for, and being compensated by, investment trust company
Opinion 98-03 | Business Transactions with Clients | Conflict of Interest | Dual Professions
Lawyer paid fees for making referrals between inventor clients and product promoter clients
Opinion 97-07 | Business Transactions with Clients | Dual Professions
Lawyer owned corporation preparing and placing public notice advertisements
Opinion 97-04 | Business Transactions with Clients | Referral Fees and Arrangements
Fee for referring clients to other nonlawyer professionals
Opinion 93-01 | Business Transactions with Clients | Dual Professions
Lawyer as title insurance agent
Opinion 90-02 | Business Transactions with Clients
Soliciting clients to become customers of lawyers business
Opinion 90-32 | Business Transactions with Clients | Dual Professions
Lawyer acting as insurance and investment professional
Opinion 89-14 | Business Transactions with Clients
Lawyer as insurance agent
Opinion 84-14 | Business Transactions with Clients | Dual Professions
Lawyer as real estate broker, or members of lawyer’s firm, representing lawyer/broker’s real estate customers
Opinion 841 | Business Transactions with Clients | Conflict of Interest - Transactional Matters
Lawyer member of Attorney’s Title Guaranty Fund using ATG services while representing seller of real estate

ISBA Advisory Opinions on Professional Conduct are prepared as an educational service to members of the ISBA. While the opinions express the ISBA interpretation of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct and other relevant materials in response to a specific hypothesized fact situation, they do not have the weight of law and should not be relied upon as a substitute for individual legal advice. For more information, call the ISBA Legal Department at (217) 525-1760 or (800) 252-8908.