Opinion 1228

The Committee reviewed your inquiry regarding whether lawyers employed by your association to represent members of local affiliates may use pleading paper which includes the names of all of the lawyers without any other identification. Although the Committee is continuing to consider this issue and may propose a formal opinion to the Board of Governors, I have been instructed to advise you that in the Committee's opinion, the use of common stationery or letterhead by lawyers who practice as a group of in-house counsel is not misleading and not in violation of the rule, providing that that stationery or pleading paper identifies them as members of the legal department of the employer. Therefore, the Committee was of the opinion that your pleading paper as presented would be in violation of RPC 7.5(d), whereas if it identified them as employees of the legal department it would not be in violation of that rule.

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.