The Florida Bar

Ethics Opinion

Opinion 94-5

FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION
OPINION 94-5
April 30, 1995
Advisory ethics opinions are not binding.
Under most circumstances, it is unethical to threaten a fellow member of the bar with a grievance
complaint.
Note: When this opinion was written, there was no express prohibition against such
conduct in the Rules of Professional Conduct. The Supreme Court has since adopted Rule
4-3.4(h). See In re: Amendments to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, 718 So.2d 1179
(Fla. 1998).
RPC:
Opinion:
Case:

4-1.6, 4-3.1, 4-4.1, 4-4.4, 4-8.3, 4-8.3(a), 4-8.4(a), 4-.84(d)
89-3
The Florida Bar v. Fitzgerald, 541 So.2d 602 (Fla. 1989)

The Committee has been asked whether an attorney may threaten to file a disciplinary
complaint against opposing counsel in order to obtain advantage in a civil matter. Despite the
absence of an express prohibition in the Rules of Professional Conduct (Chapter 4, Rules
Regulating The Florida Bar), the Committee is of the opinion that such conduct is ethically
impermissible under most circumstances.
Under the “Reporting Professional Misconduct” rule, Rule 4-8.3, an attorney is obligated
to report another attorney’s misconduct if the attorney has actual knowledge of a misconduct that
raises a substantial question as to the offending attorney’s “honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as
a lawyer in other respects.” Rule 4-8.3(a). An attorney, however, may not report the violation if
the information is protected by the confidentiality rule, Rule 4-1.6, unless the attorney has the
consent of the client. As a result, in situations where an attorney is required to report a violation,
the attorney’s failure to do so would constitute misconduct under Rule 4-8.4(a). Similarly, an
agreement not to file a grievance complaint would violate Rule 4-8.4(a) where the filing of a
complaint would otherwise be required by Rule 4-8.3(a). See The Florida Bar v. Fitzgerald, 541
So.2d 602, 605 (Fla. 1989) (client’s agreement not to bring attorney’s unethical conduct to
attention of the Bar is unenforceable). Therefore, if an attorney is obligated to report another
attorney’s professional misconduct, the attorney must report it rather than threaten to do so.
Even when an attorney is not required to report the professional misconduct under Rule
4-8.3, threatening a disciplinary action may violate one or more of Rules 4-8.4(b), 4-3.1, 4-4.1,
4-4.4 and 4-8.4(d). Rule 4-8.4(b) prohibits an attorney from committing “a criminal act that
reflects adversely on the lawyer’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness as a lawyer in other
respects.” Therefore, an attorney is prohibited from conduct which would constitute extortion
under criminal law.
Rule 4-3.1 generally prohibits an attorney from bringing a frivolous proceeding. This
rule would prohibit an attorney from filing a disciplinary complaint that is not well founded in
fact and in law.

Rule 4-4.1 requires an attorney to be truthful in dealing with others on a client’s behalf.
Therefore, an attorney who threatens to file a disciplinary complaint without any actual intent to
do so would violate this rule.
Rule 4-4.4 states that in representing a client an attorney “shall not use means that have
no substantial purpose other than to embarrass, delay, or burden a third person.” This rule would
therefore prohibit an attorney from threatening to file a disciplinary complaint if the primary
purpose of doing so was to harass or embarrass the other attorney.
Rule 4-8.4(d) provides that an attorney shall not “engage in conduct that is prejudicial to
the administration of justice.” In our Opinion 89-3, the Committee concluded that an attorney is
prohibited from threatening criminal prosecution solely to gain advantage in a civil matter. In
that opinion the Committee stated, “[t]he criminal process was not intended to be used as a
means of settling private disputes and is undermined when it is misused in such a manner.”
Likewise, the disciplinary process is not intended to be used as a means of settling private
disputes.
In conclusion, if an attorney is obligated to report another attorney’s professional
misconduct pursuant to Rule 4-8.3, then it is ethically impermissible for the attorney to threaten
the other attorney with the filing of a disciplinary complaint. Even if an attorney is not obligated
to report the other attorney’s misconduct, threatening to file a disciplinary complaint often will
violate one or more of the Rules of Professional Conduct.