The Virtual Museum of Law is an online extension of our physical Museum of Law, located on the third floor of the Bar's headquarters in Atlanta. Visitors to the Virtual Museum will find informational animated videos about famous Georgia and U.S. cases.
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Fastcase is a comprehensive national law library with online access to cases, statutes, regulations, court rules and Bar publications. Fastcase is ranked as one of the best member benefits the Bar offers.
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LAP is a confidential service outsourced to CorpCare Associates, Inc., to help State Bar members with life's difficulties. Members are entitled to six clinical sessions per calendar year.
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Webcasts are video recordings of live ICLE seminars. Choose the right course for your practice and earn self-study CLE credit anytime, anywhere you choose. View the list of available webcasts here.
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Yes, unless you currently represent someone whose interests are adverse to hers. Rule 4.2 does not prohibit a disinterested lawyer from providing a second opinion to someone who is currently represented by counsel.
The ethics rules don't require a lawyer to keep closed files for any particular length of time. The exception is trust account records. Rule 1.15(I) does require that a lawyer keep trust account records for at least six years after the case is over. There is a four year statute of limitations for disciplinary investigations; Rule 4-222 provides that the statute may be tolled up to two years in certain situations. You should also take into account potential malpractice claims and other law when making a decision to destroy a file.
Rule 5.4 discusses a lawyer splitting a legal fee with a nonlawyer. Formal Advisory Opinion 05-4 provides that it is ethically proper for a lawyer to compensate nonlawyer employees based upon a plan that is based in whole or in part on a profit-sharing arrangement.
Formal Advisory Opinion 97-3 holds that a lawyer who is leaving a firm may ethically notify those clients he or she has actively represented. The communication may be oral or written. The lawyer may advise the client of the lawyer's departure, provide a new address, and notify the client of the lawyer's willingness to provide legal services to the client.
If keeping the file will be detrimental to the client's interests, you may not hold the file to guarantee payment of your fee. Rule 1.16(d) and Formal Advisory Opinion 87-5 provide further guidance on this issue.
No! Even if you have passed the Bar, you must be sworn in by a court and registered with the State Bar of Georgia before you are licensed to practice law in the state. Until then you may not give legal advice to anyone. You may not appear in court or sign your name on a document to be presented to a court (other than for your own personal matters). If a judge allows you to sit with counsel during a hearing, or if you attend a deposition with a licensed attorney, you may not question witnesses or make objections. You are also obligated to clarify your status to anyone who mistakenly believes that you are a lawyer. Be sure that the firm letterhead, website and other publications do not refer to you as a lawyer before you are fully credentialed. There are many tasks that you may perform in a law office while awaiting Bar results and licensing. You may draft briefs or pleadings for a lawyer's review and signature. You may interview clients and witnesses, and pass along legal advice as directed by a lawyer (making it clear that the advice is from a licensed attorney). Formal Advisory Opinions 19, 21 and 00-2 further describe what tasks may appropriately be delegated to a nonlawyer in a law office.
Maybe. Rule 1.9 allows a lawyer to represent a new client whose interests are adverse to a former client only if the matters are not substantially related, or if the former client consents. Rule 1.6 regarding confidences and secrets also might have some impact on the lawyer's ability to undertake representation adverse to a former client. The rules require a lawyer to make very specific disclosures before obtaining client consent to this type of representation, so please call the Ethics Helpline to talk about your situation with us.
The Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) of the State Bar of Georgia handles problems between attorneys and clients. CAP has many ways to help solve your problems. For general and statistical information about CAP, please see the CAP Web page. If you wish to speak to a CAP Administrator, please call 1-800-334-6865 and ask for the CAP line, or dial direct to 404-527-8759. CAP cannot receive inquiries by email.
A disciplinary history may be needed by a member of the State Bar of Georgia for a variety of reasons, such as when a member applies for pro hac vice admission in another jurisdiction. There are two types of disciplinary history provided: (1) Public Disciplinary History, and (2) Complete Disciplinary History. A public disciplinary history includes the attorney's name, bar number and a history of any public disciplinary actions taken against the attorney. A complete disciplinary history includes the attorney's name, bar number and information about all grievances, cases and actions taken against the attorney, whether public or private. Please determine which type of disciplinary history you require before ordering.
Please Note for Complete Disciplinary History Requests: Pursuant to Bar Rule 4-224 of the State Bar of Georgia, all grievances which do not result in discipline against the respondent are expunged from our records after a period of either one or two years.
A disciplinary history is provided as a letter from the Office of the General Counsel for $15 per letter. Requests will be processed and mailed within 10 business days.
To order and pay for your disciplinary history online, please login by clicking here and proceed to the Store.
To pay by check, please click here to download an order form. Send the completed form and payment to the Office of the General Counsel, State Bar of Georgia, 104 Marietta St., Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303, Attn: Karen Cooper. The check should be made payable to State Bar of Georgia.
Please contact karenc@gabar.org if you have any questions.
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