Ethics Opinion Search by Topic

This Index includes:

All ethics opinions released from October 2, 1988, through the present
Formal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
Judicial Tenure Commission Advisory Opinions
Michigan Supreme Court cases involving lawyer and judicial discipline
Essays and articles from the Michigan Bar Journal

Opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct are denoted "R" for formal opinions and "RI" for informal opinions. Opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct are denoted "J" for formal opinions and "JI" for informal opinions. Formal opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility are denoted "C". Advisory Opinions of the Judicial Tenure Commission are denoted "A/O". Articles published in the Michigan Bar Journal are cited "[volume] MBJ [page] (date)".

Notice to Lawyers:
State Bar of Michigan ethics opinions are advisory and non-binding in nature. This index is a complete historical catalog. Some of the listed ethics opinions, though not expressly superseded in subsequent ethics opinions, may be nonetheless outmoded or no longer sound due to subsequent changes in case law, statutes, or court rules. Practitioners are urged to thoroughly research all sources to determine the current validity of any given ethics opinion.

Common Citations

The following citation abbreviations are used in this Index.

"A/O"	Opinions issued by the Judicial Tenure Commission interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"C"	Formal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
"CI"	Informal ethics opinions interpreting the former Michigan Code of Professional Responsibility
"J"	Formal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"JI"	Informal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct
"MBJ"	Michigan Bar Journal, monthly publication of the State Bar of Michigan
"R"	Formal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct
"RI"	Informal ethics opinions interpreting the Michigan Rules of Professional Conduct
"Op"	Opinions interpreting the former Canons of Professional Ethics or the former Canons of Judicial Ethics.

Search by Opinion Number or Keywords

Click here to use the "quick find" by opinion number or to search the full text of our ethics opinion collection.

Index

For the researcher's convenience, this list is provided to show the topics used for indexing authorities in this volume.

Unauthorized Practice of Law

Administrative court procedures to prevent

JI-026,

Administrative hearing officer's duties regarding

C-239,

Contempt remedies

JI-026,

Duty to supervise judicial staff

JI-026,

Judge's duties to prevent

JI-026,

69 MBJ 821 (Aug 1990),

Private cause of action

72 MBJ 930 (Sep 1993),

Remedies

JI-026,

Verification of law licenses

JI-026,

Collections

Bay County Bar Ass'N v. Finance System,

Inc.,

345 Mich 434 (1956),

Corporate counsel, licensed in another state but based in Michigan

71 MBJ 555 (June 1992),

Duty to prevent

C-239,

JI-026,

RI-349,

Duty to report

JI-026,

RI-101,

Employee supervision

R-001,

RI-103,

RI-125,

RI-128,

RI-191,

RI-349,

Graduates not yet licensed

71 MBJ 1061 (Oct 1992),

Inside counsel, licensed in another state but based in Michigan

71 MBJ 555 (June 1992),

Lawyer listed on deed as preparer

RI-298,

Lawyer overseeing deed preparation

RI-298,

Lawyers from other states

Mrpc 5.5,

Nonpayment of dues, ineffective assistance of counsel

People v. Pubrat,

451 Mich 589 (1996),

Out-of-state lawyers providing legal assistance concerning Michigan laws

Mrpc 5.5,

Pro hac vice admission for a particular matter

Mcr 8.126,

Supervision of employees

R-001,

RI-103,

RI-125,

RI-128,

RI-191,

RI-349,

71 MBJ 1188 (Nov 1992),

Title offices preparing deeds

RI-298,

Unlicensed law graduates

71 MBJ 1061 (Oct 1992),

Verification of law licenses

JI-026,

Administrative agency practice

C-239,

RI-055,

State Bar of Mi v. Galloway,

422 Mich 188 (1985),

Agents of other persons

Cobb v. Judge Superior Court of Grand Rapids,

43 Mich 289 (1880),

Marquette Prison Warden v. Meadows,

114 Mich App 121 (1982),

Bay County Bar Ass'N v. Finance System,

Inc.,

345 Mich 434 (1956),

Appearances in court by nonlawyer representatives

C-239,

70 MBJ 442 (May 1991),

Bankruptcy

Ginger v. Cohn,

426 F2d 1385 (1970),

Collections

Bay County Bar Ass'N v. Finance System,

Inc.,

345 Mich 434 (1956),

Communicating on behalf of party

RI-349,

RI-101,

Consequences of

69 MBJ 821 (Aug 1990),

Contempt remedies

JI-026,

Corporate officers representing corporation

69 MBJ 1007 (Oct 1990),

Peters Prod.,

Inc. v. Desnick Broad. Co.,

171 Mich App 283 (1988),

Court appearances by nonlawyers

C-239,

70 MBJ 442 (May 1991),

Court personnel assisting parties

A/O 92,

Deposition participation

RI-101,

Determining when legal services are needed

RI-186,

Disciplined lawyers, scope of permitted activity

68 MBJ 1108 (Nov 1989),

71 MBJ 1188 (Nov 1992),

Divorce "kit" services

68 MBJ 469 (June 1989),

State Bar v. Cramer,

399 Mich 116 (1976),

Document preparation

RI-186,

RI-349,

70 MBJ 577 (June 1991),

Fees for unlicensed work

Birbrower,

Montalbano,

Condon & Frank v. Superior Court,

12 Law Man 341 (1996),

Graduates not yet licensed

71 MBJ 1061 (Oct 1992),

Intermediary for trust kit sales

RI-325,

79 MBJ 522 (May 2000),

Landlord & tenant cases

78 MBJ 964 (Sep 1999),

Nonlawyers preparing legal documents

RI-191,

RI-349,

70 MBJ 577 (June 1991),

Nonlawyers appearing in court on behalf of others

70 MBJ 442 (May 1991),

Outside presence of court

JI-026,

Patent agents, association with

RI-144,

Real estate transactions conducted by nonlawyers

Ingham County Bar Ass'N v. Neller Co.,

342 Mich 214 (1955),

State Bar of Mi v. Kupris,

366 Mich 688 (1962),

Self-help legal services

70 MBJ 577 (June 1991),

Title insurance companies

71 MBJ 428 (May 1992),

70 MBJ 1198 (Nov 1991),

Trust kit salespeople

RI-325,

79 MBJ 522 (May 2000),

Trust services by nonlawyers

RI-191,

71 MBJ 212 (Feb 1992),

Detroit Bar Ass'N v. Union Guardian TrUSt Co.,

282 Mich 707 (1938),

78 MBJ 844 (Aug 1999),

Will services by nonlawyer

Grand Rapids Bar Ass'N v. Denkema,

290 Mich 56 (1939),

Detroit Bar Ass'N v. Union Guardian TrUSt Co.,

282 Mich 707 (1938),

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