Advisory Opinion: 1683

Year Issued: 1996

RPC(s):

Subject: Trust account; funds held in trust for person in foreign country

The Committee reviewed your inquiry regarding delivery of funds held in your trust account which belong to a person in Nigeria. The Committee was of the unanimous opinion that the lawyer's obligation is to determine from the client how the funds should be disposed of. They also recommended that you consider that the funds should be held in a separate interest bearing trust account to earn interest to benefit the client until they can be disposed of pursuant to the client's direction.

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.