Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board Ethics Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board, with full citations and source links on every page.
No Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board opinions match these filters
Try a different search term or clear the filters.
Can a Minnesota lawyer charge a former client for copying their file or hold the file for unpaid fees?
The opinion defines what counts as client files, papers, and property, allows a copying charge only if the client agreed in writing before termination, bars conditioning return of client files on paym…
Could a Minnesota lawyer file an attorney lien against a client's homestead?
Under this now-repealed opinion, a lawyer committed misconduct by filing an attorney lien against a client's homestead, or the client's interest in it, without first obtaining a valid waiver of the cl…
Who could sign checks and authorize withdrawals from a Minnesota law firm trust account?
Under this now-repealed opinion, every withdrawal instrument drawn against a law firm trust account had to be signed by at least one lawyer in the firm, and no withdrawal could be made except at a law…
Could a Minnesota lawyer assert a retaining lien on a client's files?
No, under this now-repealed opinion: it was professional misconduct to assert a retaining lien on a client's files and papers, and the prohibition reached all retaining liens, whether statutory, commo…
What trust-account books and records did a Minnesota lawyer have to keep?
This now-repealed opinion required every Minnesota lawyer in private practice to keep detailed trust-account records (account identification, a check register, per-client subsidiary ledgers, monthly t…
When could a Minnesota lawyer stop work or withdraw over unpaid fees?
The opinion, since repealed, treated refusing to proceed until fees were paid as misconduct unless the client breached a fee agreement, and required reasonable notice, time to find new counsel, return…
Browse Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board opinions by topic
Legal ethics opinions from the Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board 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.