The Florida Bar

Ethics Opinion

Opinion 94-6

FLORIDA BAR ETHICS OPINION
OPINION 94-6
April 30, 1995
Advisory ethics opinions are not binding.
A law firm may operate a mediation department within the firm. The mediation practice
must be conducted in conformity with the Rules of Professional Conduct. Consequently,
nonlawyers employed by the firm’s mediation department may not have an ownership interest in the
firm or its mediation department, the attorney advertising rules will apply to any advertising by the
mediation department, and the mediation department may not use a proposed trade name because
that trade name is not the name under which the firm practices.
RPC:
Opinions:

4-5.4(a), 4-5.4(b), 4-5.5(b), 4-7.7 [See current 4-7.21]
86-4, 86-8, 88-15, 89-4, 90-7; Arizona 88-5, Illinois 90-32

A member of the Florida Bar requests an opinion regarding the propriety of establishing and
operating a mediation department in his law firm. The inquiring attorney states that the department
would use the trade name “Sunshine Mediation.” The mediation department would use this trade
name on its letterhead in all correspondence and billing. The letterhead would state “Sunshine
Mediation, The Mediation Department of [the law firm].” The mediation department also wishes to
hire nonlawyer mediators as “independent contractors” and to list the nonlawyers on the letterhead.
Florida Bar members may participate in business practices other than law. See, e.g., Florida
Ethics Opinions 86-8 [withdrawn], 88-15, and 90-7 [withdrawn] for a discussion of ethical
considerations that are applicable when an attorney engages in dual professions. Where, as in the
inquirer’s situation, the business practice is conducted through the law firm and is closely associated
with the practice of law, the Committee is of the opinion that the mediation practice must be
conducted in conformity with the Rules of Professional Conduct (Chapter 4, Rules Regulating The
Florida Bar). See, e.g., Arizona Opinion 88-5 and Illinois Opinion 90-32.
Consequently, in the situation presented the Committee is of the opinion that any nonlawyer
mediators employed by the inquirer’s law firm may not have an ownership interest in either the law
firm or the mediation department. To do so would implicate rules prohibiting sharing fees with
nonlawyers, partnership with nonlawyers, and assisting in the unauthorized practice of law. See
Rules 4-5.4(a), 4-5.4(b), and 4-5.5(b).
The Committee also is of the opinion that the lawyer advertising rules (Rules 4-7.1 through
4-7.7 [See current Rules 4-7.11 through 4-7.22]) will apply to any advertising done by the
mediation department of the law firm. Advertising by a department within a law firm must be
considered advertising by the law firm itself. Regarding letterhead, nonlawyer mediators employed
by the firm may be listed on the letterhead only if their nonlawyer status is clearly indicated.
Florida Ethics Opinion 86-4 and 89-4.
The Committee further concludes that, under the circumstances described, it would be
improper for the law firm to use the trade name “Sunshine Mediation” for its mediation department.
Rule 4-7.7 [See current Rule 4-7.21] permits the use of non-misleading trade names by law firms,
but only if the trade name is used in all aspects of the law firm’s practice, including the firm name,
letterhead, business cards, office sign, fee contracts, and pleadings. The plain language of the rule
does not allow the limitation on the use of the trade name to a department within the firm.