Office of Attorney Ethics --Ethics Help Desk

Office of Attorney Ethics Help Desk for New Jersey Lawyers

WRITTEN ETHICS OPINIONS

General Ethics Issues: Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics [ACPE - R. 1:19-1]

How: Written letter with certification [R. 1:19-3]
Who: New Jersey lawyers only
Cost: Free
Legal Effect: Binding on district ethics committees [R. 1:19-6]
Address: Only in writing at:
Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics
Administrative Office of the Courts
P. O. Box 037
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Staff: Carol Johnston, Esq.

Advertising Issues: Committee on Attorney Advertising [CAA – R. 1:19A-1]

How: Written letter with certification – [R. 1:19A-3(a)]
Who: New Jersey lawyers only
Cost: Free
Legal Effect: Binding on inquirer and bar to disciplinary prosecution unless ad is false or misleading [R. 1:19A-3(c)]
Address: Only in writing at:
Committee on Attorney Advertising
Administrative Office of the Courts
P. O. Box 037
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Staff: Carol Johnston, Esq.

TELEPHONIC ETHICS HELP - THIS SECTION IS INTENDED FOR ATTORNEYS ONLY

All Ethics Issues: Ethics Telephone Research Hotline [ETRH R. 1:19-9] - ATTORNEYS ONLY
How: 609-292-0694
Who: New Jersey lawyers only - COURT RULES PROHIBIT STAFF TO SPEAK TO CLIENTS OR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
Cost: None
When: 9 AM to 5 PM
Legal Effect: None. Information is inadmissible in any disciplinary or other legal proceeding. Inquirer must make final decision.
Address: Committee on Attorney Advertising/Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics
Administrative Office of the Courts
P. O. Box 037
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Staff: Carol Johnston, Esq.

All Ethics Issues: American Bar Association (ABA) ETHICSearch
How: 800-285-2221
Who: New Jersey lawyers only ABA and Non-ABA Members
Cost: No charge for initial consultation and preliminary research. In most cases the ETHICSearch lawyer can answer your question immediately. If you require extensive additional research, you will be charged an agreed hourly rate
When: 9 AM to 5 PM cst
Legal Effect: None. This is a research service that is limited to ABA rules and advisory opinions. The inquirer must make final decision.
Address: ABA Center for Professional Responsibility
321 N. Clark Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
Staff: Attorneys from the ABA Center

SELECTED SOURCES FOR ETHICS RESEARCH

Advisory Opinions: Rutgers Camden Law School Library
What’s There: ACPE, CAA and Unauthorized Practice of Law Opinions online in a searchable database.
Online Location: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/ethics/search.shtml

Disciplinary Case Summaries : Office of Attorney Ethics
What's There: Short summaries of disciplinary decisions of the Supreme Court of New Jersey from 1990 through last year.
Online Location: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/oae/index.htm at “Disciplinary Histories” Page.

Attorney Disciplinary Decisions: Supreme Court and Disciplinary Review Board
What's There: Selected attorney disciplinary decisions of the Supreme Court of New Jersey and the Disciplinary Review Board from 1998 to date as selected by the Committee on Disciplinary Decisions (R. 1:20-15(n)). Online Location: http://lawlibrary.rutgers.edu/drb/search.shtml

Trust Accounting: Random Audit Program of the Office of Attorney Ethics
What's There: Educational advice on attorney trust and business accounts
Online Location: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/oae/index.htm
Address: Office of Attorney Ethics
P, O. Box 963
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
Phone: 609-530-5208

PLEASE NOTE: Court Rule 1:20-2(c) prohibits Assistant and Deputy Ethics Counsel of the Office of Attorney Ethics from giving any advice or advisory opinions. The OAE is not involved in providing any of the above written or telephonic advice. Nevertheless, the OAE provides the above references to assist the bar in avoiding ethical problems.