ISBA Ethics Opinions on Law Firms | Illinois State Bar Association

Opinion 20-08 | Law Firms | Multijurisdictional Practice | Nonlawyer Assistants | Unauthorized Practice of Law
Non-Illinois licensed lawyer working at Illinois law firm while applying for admission to Illinois
Opinion 20-01 | Law Firms | Nonlawyer Assistants
Services allowed to be performed by law school graduates prior to licensure

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.
Opinion 19-04 | Communication with Client | Law Firms | Nonlawyer Assistants | Outsourcing Legal and Legal Support Services. | Temporary Lawyers
Communication with Represented Person
Opinion 17-02 | Client Files | Law Firms
Maintenance of client files and records
Opinion 16-06 | Client Files | Confidentiality | Law Firms
Obligations when using cloud-based services
Opinion 16-01 | Law Firm Name and Letterhead | Law Firms | Multijurisdictional Practice
Out of state professional coroporation registration under Rule 721
Opinion 12-14 | Advertising and Solicitation | Communication with Client | Law Firm Partnership and Employment Agreements | Law Firms
Duties and obligations of departing law firm associate
Opinion 12-06 | Client Files | Law Firms
Maintenance of client files and records
Opinion 95-02 | Client Files | Law Firms
Access to client files after lawyer leaves firm
Opinion 90-06 | Law Firms
Sharing office space with nonlawyers
Opinion 86-16 | Communication with Client | Law Firm Partnership and Employment Agreements | Law Firms
Departing firm associate communications with client and entitlement to fees
Opinion 764 | Law Firms
Office sharing and common stationary

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.