Paying a platform for freelance legal services is generally treated as purchasing a service—not sharing a client’s legal fee with a nonlawyer.
A law firm hires a freelance lawyer through a company. The firm pays the company, and the company
It’s a scenario many law firms know well.
A significant matter lands on your desk. Discovery deadlines are approaching. A key associate is out on leave. Or a client unexpectedly needs immediate attention. You know bringing in a freelance attorney
Sometimes disclosure is required; sometimes it is simply smart client communication. The answer turns on the role, the expectations, and whether the change is significant.
A firm hires a freelance lawyer for five hours to research a narrow evidentiary issue.
Behind-the-scenes help from an attorney licensed outside your jurisdiction is ethically permissible and can be perfectly workable. The key is defining the assignment and keeping the licensed hiring lawyer in control.
Your California firm needs an emergency research memo on
By Laurie Rowen
I recently wrapped up eight years of service on the Orange County Women Lawyers Association (OCWLA) Board, but I’m very happy to say I won’t be going far.
I’m honored to have been appointed Chair of OCWLA’s
Summer has a way of catching law firms off guard.
One partner is finally taking that long-awaited family vacation. An associate is out on parental leave. Another lawyer is juggling summer camps, travel, and kids home from school. Meanwhile, clients
Your law firm isn’t just a business; it is your most critically important work. These are your clients, and you have an ethical duty to protect their interests. This must mean you have to give away all of your work
Lawyers must be cautious with client work. We carry numerous duties to our clients that we must uphold. All of these duties are manageable once you understand the rules. Some firms get overwhelmed when considering conflicts of interest, but
I don’t know if you know this, but sometimes lawyers have strong personalities.
That’s my little lawyer joke.
I get it. We’re lawyers. We are cautious, justifiably so. That is our one job – to protect our clients.
At the
Freelance lawyers have become an increasingly valuable resource for law firms that need flexibility, specialized expertise, or additional capacity. But like any attorney relationship, working with freelance lawyers raises important ethical considerations for the law firms that hire them.
Fortunately,
