LEO: Law Firm - Sharing Office Space  LE Op. 943

 

Law Firm - Sharing Office Space.

 

June 24, 1987

 

Three lawyers (A, B and C) share office space in a building which they

own, a phone system, a reception area and furniture, a photocopier and

other items in common areas. The three lawyers have separate phone lines,

letterhead, accounting systems and filing systems. Lawyers A and B share

secretarial help. Lawyer C does not share a secretary with A or B but all

secretaries share in answering the phones. In addition, lawyer A is a part-

time assistant commonwealth's attorney but his secretary does not handle

any of his commonwealth's attorney's duties.

 

It is not improper per se, based upon the limited information given above,

for the three attorneys to represent clients with adverse interests

provided full disclosure is made to the clients and consent received. The

committee does opine that it would be extremely difficult to avoid

violating DR:4-101 and DR:9-101 and that the better course of conduct

would be not to accept simultaneous representation of a client whose

interest is adverse to one of the other lawyer's existing clients. [ DR:

4-101(A) and (B), DR:9-101(C); EC:4-2, EC:9-2; LE Op. 799 and LE

Op. 413]

 

Committee Opinion June 24, 1987