Advisory Opinion: 1758

Year Issued: 1997

RPC(s): RPC 1.4; 1.6. Formal Opinion 183

Subject: Confidentiality and outside auditing of lawyer's billing.

Your inquiry concerned the ethical implications of detailed bills going to outside parties without client consent. It is the RPC Committee's opinion that this inquiry is controlled by the analysis in Formal Opinion 183. Based upon the information provided in your inquiry, particularly the representation as to the information in the billing, and the representation that the client has not consented, the Committee believes that the release of this information as contemplated would be impermissible under RPC 1.4 and 1.6.

[Editor's Note: See Formal Opinion 195.]

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.