Opinion 1029

Subject: Trust funds held for multiple clients where lawyer is unable to obtain instructions from clients regarding distribution of funds

The Committee was of the opinion that in your situation, where you have trust funds belonging to a group of clients in Italy, and you are unable to get instructions from those clients regarding the distribution of those funds, you may issue a trust account check made payable to all of the parties, and send it to one of those parties advising all the parties of that fact, and that they should work out the distribution of the funds amongst themselves.

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.