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…
When could a Minnesota lawyer charge interest or late fees on unpaid attorney's fees?
Under this now-repealed opinion, charging interest or late fees was unreasonable under Rule 1.5(a) if the rate was usurious, if Minnesota law required a written agreement and there was none, or if req…
How must a Minnesota lawyer handle advance fees and non-refundable availability retainers?
Under this now-repealed opinion, advance fee payments had to go into an interest-bearing trust account and could be withdrawn only when earned with notice and an accounting, while availability or non-…
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Under this now-repealed opinion, a lawyer committed misconduct by filing an attorney lien against a client's homestead, or the client's interest in it, without first obtaining a valid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…
Must a Minnesota lawyer who agreed to arbitrate a fee dispute honor the arbitration award?
Yes, under this now-repealed opinion: a lawyer who signed an agreement to arbitrate a fee dispute committed professional misconduct by refusing to honor and carry out the final arbitration decision.
Is a Minnesota lawyer personally responsible for paying experts the lawyer hires for a client?
Under this now-repealed opinion, yes: a lawyer who ordered services from doctors, engineers, accountants, other lawyers, or others committed misconduct by denying responsibility for payment unless the…
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The opinion, since repealed, treated refusing to proceed until fees were paid as misconduct unless the client breached a fee agreement, and required reasonable notice, time to find new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.