Ethics Opinion Topic Index

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Decision-Making Authority of Client

Accepting arbitration of attorney fees
Advance waiver of future conflicts of interest invalid
Advancing costs through venture capital company
Arrangement to refer clients to particular real estate broker
Choice of counsel when case transferred
Choice of counsel when lawyer changes firms
Consent to negotiating settlement without counsel present
Consent to representation by spouse of opposing counsel
Consent to multiple representation
Consent to withdrawal in event of conflict
Costs advanced by venture capital company
Decision to seek legal representation after solicitation
Disabled client
Discharge of lawyer
Distribution of estate assets
Fees paid by third party
Fiduciary as client
Guardian serving as lawyer for ward
Independent counsel on arbitration of fees
Independent judgment—fees paid by third party
Insurance representation
Minor child as client
Multiple clients, consent to representation
Naming lawyer as personal representative in will
Parent's role when lawyer represents minor child
Personal representative exercising fiduciary duties
Real estate referrals
Settlement offers
Trust kit—use of intermediary with client
Using intermediary to meet with clients
Wrongful death case proceeds distribution

Depositions

Disability

Attorney duties toward
Compensation when filing protective order against client
Conservator duties toward
Decisions about representation
Decisions about settlement
Discharge of lawyer
Disclosing medical file to client
Dual capacity of guardian and lawyer for ward
Duties of lawyer toward
  •  69 MBJ 943 (Sep 1990),
Guardian duties toward
Independent corroboration of condition
Minor child as client
Petition for guardianship
Representing ward and conservator
Scope of representation
Seeking protective order for
Physical problem, unable to perform judicial duties
  •  Matter of Lawrence,
  •  417 Mich 248 (1983),
Confidentiality
  •  69 MBJ 943 (Sep 1990),
Receiver
  •  69 MBJ 241 (Mar 1990),
Notices
  •  69 MBJ 241 (Mar 1990),

Discharge of Lawyer by Client

Charging fees for withdrawal
Disabled client
Discretion of client
Effect on duty to rectify client perjury
Frivolous or tactical discharge by client
Grievance filed by current client
Lawyer changing firms
Motion for withdrawal
Multiple clients, discharged from representing some
Parent's attempt to discharge lawyer for minor child
Restriction on client's right to discharge
For-profit matching services

Discipline Proceedings

Abstention, federal
  •  Fieger v. Thomas,
  •  74 F3d 740 (Ca6 1996),
  •  Dunchock v. Higle,
  •  US Dis Ct Edmi,
  •  1996 US Dist Lexis 6631 (Edmi Unpublished 4/22/1996),
  •  Macdonald v. Gaskin,
  •  US Dist Ct Edmi,
  •  Hodari v. Michigan Attorney Grievance Comm'n,
Absence of one panel member during portion of testimony
  •  State Bar Grievance Adm'R v. Roth,
  •  400 Mich 484 (1977),
  •  Grievance Adm'R v. Grubbs,
  •  396 Mich 275 (1976),
Authority to dismiss complaint without prejudice
  •  401 Mich 155 (1977),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Woll,
Charging fees to client for grievance defense
Conflict of interest of member of grievance prosecutorial staff
Conflict of interest of panel member
Criminal procedure rules do not apply
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
Cross-examination of witnesses
  •  State Bar v. Murphy,
  •  387 Mich 632 (1972),
Delay in issuing decision
  •  403 Mich 172 (1978),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Donigan,
Delay in scheduling hearing
  •  State Bar v. Albert,
  •  390 Mich 234 (1973),
Discovery by respondent
  •  Matter of Mikesell,
  •  396 Mich 517 (1976),
Disqualification of panel members based on judicial disqualification rules
Disqualification of panel members employed by member of discipline prosecuting authority
Disqualification of panel members under current investigation
Disqualification of panel members within third degree of advocate's law firm
"Due diligence" of prosecutor required to support dismissal without prejudice
  •  401 Mich 155 (1977),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Woll,
Examination of respondent by panelist to clarify facts
  •  State Bar Grievance Adm'R v. Roth,
  •  400 Mich 484 (1977),
Examination of witnesses
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
  •  State Bar v. Murphy,
  •  387 Mich 632 (1972),
Exculpatory information, access to
  •  No 97692 Mi Sup Ct (2/19/1994),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Attorney Discipline Bd.,
Ex parte discussions with panel members
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
Failure to respond or appear
  •  In Re Moes,
  •  389 Mich 258 (1973),
  •  394 Mich 5 (1975),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Williams,
Findings based on edited transcript of previous proceeding
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
Hostility of panel members as prejudicial
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
  •  407 Mich 336 (1979),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Del Rio,
Judge who reports party's lawyer to discipline board may preside at party's trial
Lawyer serving as discipline hearing panel member
Panel member concurrently under discipline investigation
Panel member is employee of Grievance Commission member
Panel member related to advocate
Panel member related to member of advocate's firm
Rehearing based on new evidence
  •  In The Matter of Daggs,
  •  411 Mich 304 (1981),
Respondent's Check List
  •  74 MBJ 692 (Jul 1995),
Sanction term defined by occurrence of event
  •  402 Mich 501 (1978),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Ruebelman,
Sufficiency of complaint
  •  390 Mich 147 (1973),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Jackson,
Transcript used as substantive evidence
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
Weight to be given charges dropped from complaint
  •  Matter of Mikesell,
  •  396 Mich 517 (1976),
Eleventh Amendment
  •  Tucker v. Michigan Attorney Discipline Bd.,
  •  (Edmi 9/30/1996),
Prosecutorial
  •  Mcr 9.125,
  •  Dunchock v. Higle,
  •  US Dis Ct Edmi,
Quasi-judicial
  •  1996 US App Lexis 5727,
  •  (Unpublished Ca6 2/22/1996),
  •  Berger v. Cuyahoga County Bar Ass'N,
  •  983 F2d 718 (Ca6 1993),
  •  Cert Den 113 S Ct 2416 (1993),
  •  Eston v. Van Bolt,
  •  728 F Supp 1336 (Ed Mich 1990),
Complainant's withdrawal of complaint
  •  390 Mich 147 (1973),
  •  405 Mich 563 (1979),
  •  Reh 407 Mich 278 (1979),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. McWhorter,
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Jackson,
Failure to contact complainant
  •  402 Mich 74 (1977),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Kopp,
Rehearing based on new evidence
  •  In The Matter of Daggs,
  •  411 Mich 304 (1981),
Respondent's Check List
  •  74 MBJ 692 (Jul 1995),
Respondents right to copy of Complainant's mandamus petition
  •  406 Mich 511 (1979),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Giltner,
Selective prosecution
  •  407 Mich 336 (1979),
  •  Grievance Adm'r v. Del Rio,
Americans With Disabilities Act application
Due process in judicial discipline proceedings
  •  Matter of Mikesell,
  •  396 Mich 517 (1976),
Federal court review of state proceedings
  •  Doe v. Attorney Discipline Bd.,
  •  1996 WL 78312,
  •  1996 US App Lexis 5727 (unpublished CA6 2/22/1996),
  •  Ginger v. Wayne County Circuit Court,
  •  372 F2d 612 (CA6 1967),
  •  cert den 387 US 935 (1967),
Jurisdiction over misconduct occurring after becoming judge
  •  In Re Kapcia,
  •  389 Mich 306 (1973),

Discipline, Judicial

Conditional removal from bench
  •  In Re Moes,
  •  389 Mich 258 (1973),
Conduct before becoming judge
  •  Matter of Loyd,
  •  424 Mich 514 (1986),
  •  Matter of Waterman,
  •  433 Mich 1207 (1989),
Jurisdiction over misconduct occurring before becoming judge
  •  Matter of Ryman,
  •  394 Mich 637 (1975),
  •  Leitman v. State Bar Grievance Bd.,
  •  387 Mich 596 (1972),
Misappropriation
  •  Matter of Loyd,
  •  424 Mich 514 (1986),
Neglect of legal matters
  •  Matter of Hammons,
  •  426 Mich 1225 (1986),
Review required before removal from bench
  •  In Re Kapcia,
  •  389 Mich 306 (1973),
  •  Matter of Loyd,
  •  424 Mich 514 (1986),

Discipline, Lawyer

Adult Attention Deficit Disorder
  •  Doe v. Attorney Discipline Bd.,
  •  1996 Wl 78312,
  •  1996 US App Lexis 5727 (Unpublished Ca6 2/22/1996),
Charging fees to client for grievance defense
Court-appointed receiver charging to defend grievance
Deposition taken by suspended lawyer
Disciplined lawyers, scope of permitted activity
Failure to file income tax returns
  •  Matter of Gillis,
  •  402 Mich 286 (1978),
  •  In Re Lewis,
  •  389 Mich 668 (1973),
Failure to perform when not paid
  •  In Re Daggs,
  •  384 Mich 729 (1971),
Fees for disciplined lawyer determined by quantum meruit
Forgery
  •  In Re Ryman,
  •  394 Mich 167 (1975),
Judge who formerly participated on discipline panel subsequently presiding in matter in which respondent appears as party or advocate
Law firm interest held by disciplined lawyer
Lien enforcement against client without notice
  •  73 MBJ 690 (Jul 1994),
  •  Matte of Geralds,
  •  402 Mich 387 (1978),
Partnership or shareholder interest held by disciplined lawyer
Receiver charging fees to defend grievance
Solicitation of clients through agents
  •  Matter of Jaques,
  •  401 Mich 516 (1977),
  •  On Remand 407 Mich 26 (1979),
Suspended lawyer right to expenses
Suspended lawyer sharing legal fee
Unauthorized practice of law by disciplined lawyer

Discovery

Attorney charging hourly rate to submit to deposition
Charge for lawyer being deposed
"Confidential" documents, duty to return
Contacting party employees pursuant to court order
Cross-examination of client for unrelated matter
Deposing lawyer, charge for
Deposition of judicial officer
Documents disclosed in error
Former client suspected of illegal activity
Home addresses of corporate employees
Inaccurate, truthful testimony of client
Inconsistent testimony of client
Judge present in courtroom as moral support for party
Judge testifying on representation of former client
Medical records of witness obtained through client fraud