Can a lawyer advise clients to ask a member of Congress for help getting a response from a government agency?

Short answer The committee was of the opinion that nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct would prevent a lawyer from suggesting that clients contact a U.S. senator or congressman for assistance in trying to get a response to inquiries with a government agency.

Bar

WSBA

Issued

1988

Apply this to your situation

This page answers the general question as of 1988. Ask about yours and see what the current Washington Rules of Professional Conduct say for your facts, with citations.

Disclaimer: Advisory only. Not binding precedent.

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 concerned whether a lawyer could suggest that clients contact a congressional representative for help. The committee was of the opinion that nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct would prevent the lawyer from suggesting that clients contact a U.S. senator or congressman for assistance in attempting to receive a response to inquiries with a government agency.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1988, before the 2006 revisions to the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct. 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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 or requirement mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Can a lawyer tell a client to ask a member of Congress for help with a government agency?

A: Per the opinion, yes. The committee was of the opinion that nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct would prevent the lawyer from suggesting that clients contact a U.S. senator or congressman for assistance in trying to get a response to inquiries with a government agency.

Q: Did the committee identify any rule that limited this?

A: No. The committee found nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct that would prevent the suggestion.

Background and rules framework

The committee did not tie its conclusion to any specific Rule of Professional Conduct. It was of the opinion that the conduct, suggesting that a client seek a congressional representative's help in getting a government agency to respond, is not addressed or prohibited by the rules.

Citations and references

Rules of Professional Conduct:

The committee identified no specific Rule of Professional Conduct as governing the conduct.

Source

Landing page: https://ao.wsba.org/print.aspx?ID=287

Original opinion text

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

Advisory Opinion: 1207
Year Issued: 1988
RPC(s):
Subject: Advice to clients to seek assistance from congressional representative

The Committee was of the opinion that nothing in the Rules of Professional Conduct would prevent you from suggesting that your clients contact a U.S. Senator or congressman for assistance in attempting to receive a response to inquiries with a [government agency].

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