Legal Question in Legal Ethics in North Carolina
legal assistant professional responsibilty
There is a legal assistant that works for a free legal clinic. One of her clients is pregnant. The legal assistant paid for the hospital bill and bought other necessities for the baby. Would this create an ethical problem? Would it matter if the legal assistant was working for a law firm and the pregnant woman had paid legal fees to the firm?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: legal assistant professional responsibilty
Legal assistants do not have clients. Legal assistants are authorized only to assist licensed legal practioners. Lawyers have clients; assistants assist. It is a violation of legal ethics for a lawyer to pay a client's bills. Lawyers may advance legitimate litigation costs, but there must be a clear understanding that they will be repaid no later than when the case is concluded. Your example demonstrates an appalling lack of responsibility on the part of the assistanct, and true danger to the lawyer who employs someone so unknowledgable in the law.
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