Opinion 66-75
FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION OPINION 66-75 January 30, 1967 Advisory ethics opinions are not binding. A law firm may belong to a downtown council organized to promote civic interest in the downtown portion of a metropolitan community. Canon: 27 Chairman MacDonald stated the opinion of the committee: A member of The Florida Bar inquires as to the propriety of his law firm joining a downtown council, a non-profit corporation organized to promote the interests of the downtown portion of his metropolitan community. It would be understood that in the event his firm joined, the council would be instructed to list the membership in one or more names of the partners of the firm as individuals (none of whom would be designated as attorneys at law), and that the firm name would not be carried on the membership rolls as such. The firm’s offices are located in the downtown area in question and the firm maintains an understandable interest in the objectives of the council to modernize and re-develop the area. We see no ethical objection in any way whatever to the proposed membership in this council. The Canons of Ethics were not designed to stifle or preclude legitimate civic contributions by attorneys to the betterment of their several communities. Indeed the training and experience of the lawyer in many instances peculiarly equips him to render service in these important aspects of community life. Thus it appears that the proposed membership is not only not objectionable, but also is salutary.