The Florida Bar

Ethics Opinion

Opinion 79-3

FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION
OPINION 79-3
Advisory ethics opinions are not binding.
An attorney may place a sign on his law office door or have wording printed on his
letterhead and business cards indicating that he is a registered real estate broker.
Note: Lawyer advertising rules are now in Rules Regulating The Florida Bar 4-7.11
through 4-7.22.
CPR:
Opinion:

DR 2-102
73-18

Vice Chairman Mead stated the opinion of the committee:
The issue presented is whether an attorney can place a sign on his law office door or have
wording printed on his letterhead and business card indicating that he is a registered real estate
broker.
It has long been the Committee’s position that the two professions must be conducted
from offices that are functionally and geographically separate. This conclusion was based on DR
2-102(E), which prohibited the dual practice presented here, and our prior opinion 73-18 [since
withdrawn]. However, we now recognize the deletion of the old DR 2-102(E) from the new
Disciplinary Rule 2-102 as promulgated by the Florida Supreme Court in its decision of July 26,
1979, amending the Code of Professional Responsibility of The Florida Bar.
In view of the above revision of DR 2-102, the proposed conduct appears to be no longer
prohibited. We caution the attorney, however, that the “feeder” aspect of this association may
lead to direct solicitation not protected by the Bates decision or the recent changes in the Code
related to advertising.