Committee on Professional Ethics — Ethics Opinion 915

NYSBA Committee on Professional Ethics

Ethics Opinion 915

Background: The inquiring attorney is a member of a law firm that has formed a separate consulting entity that performs non-legal services. The attorney asked whether a law firm’s website  may contain links to the website of the non-legal consulting entity formed by the law firm. Further, the attorney asked whether the non-legal entity’s website may contain links to the law firm.

Opinion: The committee found that, assuming all relevant advertising rules were adhered to, a law firm’s website may link to the website of a non-legal entity and vice versa.