A non-profit that helps immigrants is my client and wants to refer its members to me when they need a lawyer. Is it proper for me to accept those referrals?

Plain-English summary

The inquiring attorney asked about the ethical propriety of accepting referrals from a client that is a non-profit corporation specializing in assisting immigrants from Latin America. The attorney anticipated that the non-profit corporation would refer its clients to the lawyer when those individuals required legal assistance or representation.

The panel took the position that the mere fact that certain individuals are referred to the attorney by the non-profit corporation does not, in and of itself, violate the Rhode Island Rules of Professional Conduct.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1991, after the Rhode Island Supreme Court adopted the Model Rules of Professional Conduct effective November 15, 1988. The Rhode Island Supreme Court later revised the Rules of Professional Conduct in 2007 as part of the nationwide Ethics 2000 process, which renumbered and amended several provisions. 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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 guidance mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Can I accept clients referred to me by a non-profit organization I represent?

A: Under this opinion, the mere fact of accepting such referrals does not, in and of itself, violate the Rhode Island Rules of Professional Conduct.

Q: Did the panel address any conditions or limits on the arrangement?

A: The opinion is narrow. It addressed only the mere fact of the referrals and concluded that fact alone does not violate the rules; it did not opine on any further conditions.

Background and rules framework

The opinion does not cite or apply a numbered Rule of Professional Conduct. It resolves a single, narrow question, whether the mere fact of accepting referrals from a non-profit client violates the rules, and answers that it does not, in and of itself.

Citations and references

Rules of Professional Conduct:

• None cited.

Statutes:

• None cited.

Cases:

• None cited.

Other opinions cited:

• None cited.

See also

• RI EAP Op. 95-03: Percentage Referral Fee for a Nonprofit Bar Service
• RI EAP Op. 95-05: Referral Service Must Be Bar-Affiliated

Source

• Landing page: https://www.courts.ri.gov/attorney-resources/Pages/Ethics-Advisory-Panel-default.aspx
• Original PDF: https://www.courts.ri.gov/Opinions/EAP%2091-38.pdf

Original opinion text

Best-effort transcription from a scanned PDF. Minor errors may remain; the linked PDF is authoritative.

Digest of Ethics Advisory Panel
Opinion #91-38, Request #153
Issued June 25, 1991

An attorney seeks Panel advice concerning the ethical propriety of accepting referrals from a client which is a non-profit corporation specializing in assisting immigrants from Latin America. The attorney believes the non-profit corporation will refer its clients to the lawyer when those individuals require legal assistance and/or representation.

The Panel takes the position that the mere fact that certain individuals are referred to the attorney by the non-profit corporation does not, in and of itself, violate the Rhode Island Rules of Professional Conduct.