The Florida Bar

Ethics Opinion

Opinion 68-49

FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION
OPINION 68-49
December 11, 1968
Advisory ethics opinions are not binding.
An attorney may employ an attorney who is not a member of The Florida Bar, as a
research assistant, provided the unadmitted attorney does not deal with clients nor otherwise
perform acts constituting the practice of law and limits his activities solely to research under the
immediate supervision of a member of The Florida Bar. The assistant may not be held out to the
public as an attorney by a listing on a letterhead or elsewhere.
Note: Lawyer advertising rules are now in Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.11
through 4-7.22.
Canons:
Opinions:

27, 47
62-6, 65-53, 68-7

Chairman MacDonald stated the opinion of the committee:
A member of The Florida Bar inquires as follows:
I am considering employing, on a salaried basis, a research expert who has been a
member of the New York Bar in good standing for over 35 years. He is presently a resident of
Miami Beach, Florida. This gentleman’s work would be under my supervision and solely for my
own use.
We see no impropriety in this matter so long as the research assistant does not deal with
clients nor otherwise perform acts constituting the practice of law, and limits his participation
solely to research under the immediate supervision of the inquiring attorney or another member
of The Florida Bar. Obviously, he may not be held out to the public in any manner as an attorney
or a person performing legal services, either by listing on a letterhead, a door, a shingle, or in a
legal or telephone directory.
See our Opinions No. 62-6 [since withdrawn], No. 65-53 [since withdrawn], and No.
68-7 [since withdrawn].