Colorado Bar Association Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the Colorado Bar Association, with full citations and source links on every page.
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Do Colorado's fee-division rules apply when a firm shares fees with an 'of counsel' lawyer, and can a lawyer be 'of counsel' to two firms?
No special fee-split rules, but watch conflicts. The opinion concludes that a lawyer who is genuinely 'of counsel' (a close, regular, personal association) is treated as in the same firm, so Rule 1.5(…
Can a Colorado lawyer pay or accept referral fees, pay a lawyer referral service, or join a networking group that sends the lawyer clients?
The opinion concludes that a Colorado lawyer may neither pay nor accept a referral fee (Rule 1.5(e)) and may not give anything of value for recommending the lawyer's services (Rule 7.2(b)), but may pa…
How do conflict-of-interest, imputation, and fee-division rules apply to a temporary or contract lawyer engaged by a Colorado firm, and to placement agencies?
The opinion concluded that a temporary lawyer represents the engaging firm's client and is bound by all the conflict rules; whether the temporary lawyer's conflicts are imputed to or from the firm tur…
Can a Colorado lawyer take a job with a traffic-ticket clinic that is owned and operated by nonlawyers?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer may not enter an employment relationship with a traffic clinic owned and controlled by nonlawyers where the clinic sets the fee schedule, collects fees from clients…
Can a lawyer accept a referral fee from the title-examining lawyer he selects for a client, without telling the client?
The opinion concluded that it is improper for a lawyer to accept, or for another lawyer to pay, a referral fee unless it is based on a division of service or responsibility, and unless the lawyer make…
Can a lawyer prepare deeds and closing documents for a non-broker firm that sells home-selling services to property owners?
The opinion concluded that it is improper for a lawyer to prepare legal documents for the sale of real property at the request of a firm that sells home-selling services but does not act as a true bro…
Can a lawyer retained by a lending institution to give it a title opinion allow that opinion to be sold to the institution's borrower?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer retained by a lending institution to render a title opinion may not sell, or acquiesce in the sale of, a copy of that opinion to the institution's customer, because…
How much can a Colorado lawyer charge for a foreclosure, and can the fee be higher because a non-client debtor or purchaser pays it?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer may not agree to, charge, or collect an illegal or clearly excessive fee for handling a foreclosure, that a fee amount specified in the note or security instrument …
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Legal ethics opinions from the Colorado Bar Association interpret the rules of professional conduct for working lawyers, in response to inquiries from members and committees. They are not binding like court discipline decisions, but courts and discipline boards treat formal opinions as substantial guidance on how the rules apply. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the original source on the bar's site.