Adopted April 20, 2006 TOPIC: Provision of ancillary or law-related services. INQUIRY: A lawyer owns an interest in a chiropractic clinic ("Clinic") to which he refers his personal injury clients in full compliance with the disclosure, fairness and consent requirements of Rules 5.7 and 1.8(a), as well as Oklahoma Bar Association Ethics Opinion No. 316. Under these… Continue reading...

Inquiry: May a city councilor who is also an attorney practice before the municipal courts of the city he is serving? Opinion: It is contrary to the ethical principles embodied in the Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct for an attorney who is a member of the city council to practice before the municipal courts of… Continue reading...

Inquiry: May an attorney representing a plaintiff in a lawsuit agree in advance to indemnify his client against attorney's fees and costs that might be awarded to the defendant in the event that the defendant is the prevailing party? Opinion: An attorney may not agree to indemnify his client against attorney's fees and costs in the event… Continue reading...

Inquiry: May a law firm or lawyer contract with a client that an award of statutory awarded attorneys fees be added to the amount of damages award and that the contingency fee percentage will be taken from the aggregate of the two amounts? Opinion: A law firm or lawyer may contract with a client agreeing… Continue reading...

Inquiry: May a law firm or lawyer contract with a client that an award of statutory awarded attorneys fees be added to the amount of damages award and that the contingency fee percentage will be taken from the aggregate of the two amounts? Opinion: A law firm or lawyer may contract with a client agreeing… Continue reading...

INQUIRY: May an attorney employed by a publicly funded organization, who is representing indigent clients sentenced to death, contribute personal funds to a client’s prison account, when no compensation from the client will ever be received by the attorney? OPINION: An attorney who is a full-time employee of a publicly funded criminal defense organization may… Continue reading...

March 31, 2009 This Opinion is provided in response to an inquiry containing three separate questions. The questions as presented are: 1. Does an insurance company/corporation supervising an insurance staff counsel program that requires a minimum number of jury trials before that program's lawyers would be eligible for increased compensation, be it in the form… Continue reading...

Issued: November 22, 2011 QUESTION: As part of a settlement agreement release, may the Plaintiff's lawyer or law firm ethically agree to hold the Defendant and its insurer harmless for any future action against the Defendant or its insurer that may be asserted by lien holders or any federal or state agency or program that… Continue reading...

2012 Inquiry: In an action for civil damages based on personal injury, and in light of 12 O.S. § 3009.1, affecting evidence admissible at trial related to medical bills, is it ethical for a plaintiff’s attorney to contact a client’s medical providers and offer to prepare on their behalf a medical lien for the client’s… Continue reading...

Issued July 3, 2013 QUESTION: If an attorney accepts payment from a client, whether as part of a retainer or not, for court costs or fines, and thereafter pays the court clerk with their personal credit card, and writes a trust account check either to themselves, or to the credit card company, to pay the… Continue reading...