Can a lawyer let clients pay legal fees with a credit card such as Master Charge?

Short answer The opinion concluded that it is ethical for a lawyer to offer credit card services to clients for the payment of fees for services rendered.

Bar

NCSB

Issued

October 27, 1977

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1977. Ask about yours and see what the current North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct say for your facts, with citations.

How much weight this carries: Opinions adopted under North Carolina's earlier rules (the "RPC" series, 1985-1997, and the "CPR" series, 1974-1985) are binding unless overruled (27 N.C.A.C. 1D .0101(j)). Formal ethics opinions since 1997 are issued by the State Bar Council to give guidance and to establish principles of ethical conduct. Source.

About this page: The plain-English summary, reader guidance, and Q&A below were written by Ezel based on the official ethics opinion. The original opinion (linked on this page) is the authoritative source for any reliance.

Plain-English summary

The inquiry asked whether it is ethical for an attorney to offer Master Charge and other credit card services to clients for the payment of fees charged for services rendered to those clients.

The opinion concluded that it is. The committee answered the question simply: yes.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1977 under North Carolina's former Code of Professional Responsibility (the DR/EC framework), before the State Bar replaced the Code with the Rules of Professional Conduct (adopted 1985) and before the 2003 revisions to those Rules. Subsequent rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance. Verify against current rules before relying on any specific rule, deadline, or requirement mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Can a lawyer accept credit card payment for legal fees?

A: Yes. The opinion concluded it is ethical for a lawyer to offer credit card services to clients for paying fees for services rendered.

Q: Did the opinion impose any conditions?

A: No. The opinion answered the question simply in the affirmative, without stating conditions.

Background and rules framework

The opinion addressed the permissibility of accepting credit card payment for legal fees, a question about fee collection methods, and concluded the practice is ethical.

Citations and references

The opinion did not cite a specific provision; it concluded that offering credit card payment for fees is ethical.

Source

Landing page: https://www.ncbar.gov/for-lawyers/ethics-and-governing-rules/ethics-opinions/opinions/cpr-129/

Original opinion text

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

Inquiry:

Is it ethical for an attorney to offer Master Charge and other credit card services to clients for the payment of fees charged for services rendered to such clients?

Opinion:

Yes.

What do the rules say today, for your facts?

This opinion is from 1977. Ezel checks the current North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct against your situation and cites the rules it relies on.

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