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The Mississippi Bar Ethics Opinions

Free plain-English summaries of legal ethics opinions issued by the The Mississippi Bar, with full citations and source links on every page.

162 opinions · Updated June 20, 2026
66 opinions Conflicts Of Interest

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Can a Mississippi lawyer who holds a contingent fee join with the client as a named party plaintiff in the lawsuit?

The opinion concluded a lawyer whose only interest is a contingent fee should not join as a named party plaintiff with the client, even though acquiring the contingent fee and securing it by assignmen…

December 2, 1988

Can a Mississippi lawyer accept a deed to a divorce client's interest in a jointly-owned marital home as payment of the lawyer's fee?

The opinion concluded the lawyer may not accept a deed conveying the husband-client's interest in the jointly-owned home as a fee, because it would acquire a proprietary interest in the litigation's s…

June 2, 1988

Can a part-time municipal judge pro tem and members of his law firm represent criminal defendants in the same municipal court where he sometimes presides?

The opinion concluded that a municipal judge pro tem and his firm may not represent defendants in that municipal court, even in cases he did not hear, but may represent defendants in circuit court on …

June 2, 1988

Can a private attorney who takes legal services program cases, or who sits on the program's board, represent clients with interests adverse to the program's clients?

The opinion concluded that a private attorney associated with a legal services corporation, and the corporation's staff attorneys, may represent opposing parties in wholly unrelated cases on a case-by…

June 2, 1988

Can a lawyer serve as a city's special prosecutor on DUI appeals while also defending other clients on DUI appeals from that same city court?

No. The opinion concludes it is a forbidden conflict of interest for a lawyer to act as a city's special appeals prosecutor while simultaneously defending criminal appeals that originated in and were …

March 11, 1988

Can a Mississippi lawyer drafting a will let the existing client name the lawyer in the will as attorney for the client's estate?

The opinion concluded yes; where an existing client asks the lawyer to perform the additional service, no conflict of interest, solicitation, or attorney-client problem arises.

June 22, 1987

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Legal ethics opinions from the The Mississippi Bar 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.

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