Advisory Opinion: 1109

Year Issued: 1987

RPC(s):

Subject: Ancillary business; solicitation of nonlegal business

The Committee considered your inquiry whether solicitation of non-legal business by a corporation in which you have an ownership interest and to which you provide legal services is subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct. The Committee understood that if a client of the guardianship service needed to employ a lawyer for legal services, it would not be required that the client employ you. Therefore, the Committee was of the opinion that the Rules of Professional Conduct would not apply to the corporation's solicitation of its own business.

Advisory Opinions are provided for the education of the Bar and reflect the opinion of the Committee on Professional Ethics (CPE) or its predecessors. Advisory Opinions are provided pursuant to the authorization granted by the Board of Governors, but are not individually approved by the Board and do not reflect the official position of the Bar association. Laws other than the Washington State Rules of Professional Conduct may apply to the inquiry. The Committee's answer does not include or opine about any other applicable law other than the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct.