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.
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Can a law firm list a paralegal or other non-lawyer staff member's name on the firm letterhead?
Yes, with a disclaimer. The opinion concludes a lawyer may list a paralegal's name on the letterhead if it is accompanied by language stating the person is not a lawyer; the term 'associate' may not b…
Can a Mississippi lawyer share a firm letterhead with an out-of-state lawyer who is not licensed in Mississippi?
Yes, with conditions. Rule 7.7(c) lets a multi-jurisdiction firm use one name if the letterhead shows each lawyer's jurisdictional limits, but the association must be a genuine partnership, not a case…
Can a lawyer keep using the old partnership name after the partnership dissolves and the partners practice separately?
The opinion concluded that a lawyer may not continue using a former partnership name (here 'A and B') on signage, stationery, the bank account, and phone greeting after the partnership dissolves and t…
Can a lawyer let a NALA-certified paralegal use the initials CLA or CLAS on the firm's letterhead and correspondence?
The opinion concluded that a paralegal may use the initials CLA or CLAS on legal correspondence so long as the paralegal has actually been certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants and…
Can a Mississippi law firm list a former partner who moved out of state as 'of counsel' or 'tax counsel' on its letterhead?
The opinion concluded a firm may list the out-of-state attorney as 'of counsel' if he remains a Mississippi Bar member in good standing with a close, regular, and personal relationship with the firm, …
Can a Mississippi law firm run a branch office under a trade name like 'Bankruptcy Law Center of Attorney A' that omits the firm name and other lawyers?
The opinion concluded a firm may not operate or advertise a branch office under a name that is misleading as to the identities of the lawyers practicing under it; a name omitting the firm name and oth…
Can a Mississippi lawyer advertise through a 'blind' ad like a 'Legal Hotline' that does not give the name of any responsible lawyer?
The opinion concluded blind advertisements that do not name at least one lawyer responsible for the content are not ethically proper, because Rule 7.2(d) requires every advertisement to include the na…
Can three separate Mississippi law firms share a single combined letterhead and split fees from work it generates?
The opinion concluded a law firm may not carry the name of more than one firm on its letterhead unless the firms are 'Of Counsel' to each other, because a combined name for separate firms that do not …
Can a Mississippi law firm list a non-lawyer consultant, such as an outside engineer, on its letterhead?
The opinion concluded a firm may not list a non-lawyer engineering consultant who is an independent contractor on its letterhead, because doing so would mislead the public about legal ability and risk…
Can an inactive member of the Mississippi Bar state on firm letterhead or in advertising that he is licensed and admitted to practice law in Mississippi?
The opinion concluded that an inactive member may not represent on letterhead or in advertising that he is licensed and admitted to practice in Mississippi, because by statute an inactive member is no…
Can an attorney who is also a licensed physician list both M.D. and J.D. (and a medical specialty) after his name on letterhead, business cards, and announcements to other lawyers?
Yes. The opinion concludes that an attorney who is also a licensed physician may use the M.D. and J.D. designations and his medical specialty on stationery, cards, and announcements, provided the cred…
Can a lawyer who is also licensed in another profession, such as a registered professional engineer, list that other licensure on letterhead, business cards, and advertisements?
Yes. The opinion concludes it is not improper for a lawyer licensed in another profession, but not actively practicing it, to include that professional licensure on letterhead, business cards, and adv…
Can Mississippi lawyers practice through a professional limited liability company, and can nonlawyers or out-of-state lawyers be members?
The opinion concluded that the Mississippi Rules of Professional Conduct do not prevent lawyers from practicing as a professional limited liability company; the firm name must end in PLLC, each lawyer…
Can two Mississippi law firms list each other as 'Of Counsel' on their letterheads and in directories?
The opinion concluded it is not improper for a law firm to designate another law firm as 'Of Counsel' so long as the relationship is close, regular, and personal and the usage is not otherwise false o…
After a lawyer who practiced as 'AB & Associates' dies, can the surviving lawyers keep using his name in the firm name if they were not his partners?
No. The opinion concludes that a deceased lawyer's name may be carried forward only if surviving partners practiced with him and the firm is a true continuation; where the survivors were mere associat…
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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.