Can a lawyer also work as an insurance broker?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 1995. Ask about yours and see what the current Washington Rules of Professional Conduct say for your facts, with citations.
Plain-English summary
The official record for this opinion publishes only a one-sentence summary; the full opinion text is not available from the source. According to that summary, the committee concluded that a lawyer may also engage in business as an insurance broker but must be careful to distinguish between the obligations of each profession.
The published record lists RPC 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 as the rules the opinion addressed. Because the full text is not available, the way the committee applied each of those rules is not reproduced here; follow the linked source for any later-restored text.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1995, before the Washington State Bar Association's adoption of the 2006 revisions to the 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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, deadline, or requirement mentioned here. Washington's RPC 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 correspond to ABA Model Rules 1.6 (confidentiality), 1.7 and 1.8 (conflicts of interest), 7.1 and 7.2 (communications concerning a lawyer's services), and 7.3 (solicitation of clients).
Common questions
Q: Can a lawyer also work as an insurance broker?
A: The committee's published summary states that a lawyer may also engage in business as an insurance broker, but must be careful to distinguish between the obligations of each profession.
Q: How did the committee apply the conflict and advertising rules?
A: The full opinion text is not available from the official source. The published record lists RPC 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3, but does not reproduce the committee's application of those rules.
Background and rules framework
The published record identifies RPC 1.6 (confidentiality), 1.7 and 1.8 (conflicts of interest), 7.1 and 7.2 (communications concerning a lawyer's services), and 7.3 (solicitation), corresponding to the ABA Model Rules of the same numbers. The summary frames the question as one of keeping the duties owed in the law practice distinct from those of the insurance business; the full reasoning is not available from the source.
Citations and references
Rules of Professional Conduct:
- ABA Model Rule 1.6 (confidentiality of information); Washington RPC 1.6
- ABA Model Rules 1.7 and 1.8 (conflicts of interest); Washington RPC 1.7 and 1.8
- ABA Model Rules 7.1 and 7.2 (communications concerning a lawyer's services); Washington RPC 7.1 and 7.2
- ABA Model Rule 7.3 (solicitation of clients); Washington RPC 7.3
See also
- WA Ethics Op. 1631: Lawyer Paid Through Real Estate Broker Fees
- WA Ethics Op. 1626: Firm Member on a City Council, Firm Adverse to the City
Source
- Landing page: https://ao.wsba.org/print.aspx?ID=713
Original opinion text
Reproduced from the official source for research purposes. The linked source is authoritative.
Full opinion text unavailable from the official source; see the linked source above for the complete text.
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