May a Missouri law firm let clients pay delinquent legal fees with standard credit cards?

Plain-English summary

A firm received an offer for an accounts-receivable program that would let delinquent clients pay their legal fees by credit card. The firm asked whether offering credit card payment raised ethical constraints.

The answer permits routine fee payments through standard cards, naming Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. It limits that answer by saying unusual arrangements involving the transaction could change the result.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1998, before Missouri's 2007 revisions to the Rules of Professional Conduct. Subsequent rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context and verify current rules before relying on it.

Common questions

Q: Are routine credit card fee payments permitted under this opinion?

A: Yes. The answer permits routine transactions using standard credit cards.

Q: Did the opinion approve every arrangement with a card-payment company?

A: No. It says unusual arrangements involving the transaction could change the answer.

Background and rules framework

The published answer addresses ordinary credit card payment of legal fees and does not cite a particular rule. It does not describe or decide any unusual processing arrangement.

Citations and references

The published opinion cites no specific rule, statute, case, or other opinion.

See also

• Missouri Informal Op. 2014-05: Card Payments and Trust
• Missouri Informal Op. 2019-08: Card Processing Fees

Source

• Landing page: https://mo-legal-ethics.org/informal-opinion/980035/
• Rule revision reference: Missouri Informal Opinion 20030007

Original opinion text

Reproduced from the official source for research purposes. The linked source is authoritative.

QUESTION: Attorney´s firm received a letter from a company offering to set up an accounts receivable program that would allow the firm´s delinquent clients the ability to pay fees with a credit card. Are there any ethical constraints in offering clients the ability to pay fees by credit card?
ANSWER: It is permissible for Attorney to accept payment of legal fees through routine credit card transactions using standard credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. If Attorney´s arrangement with the company would require any unusual arrangements involving the credit card transaction, the answer could change.