Requesting An Informal Advisory Opinion Or Formal Opinion

Informal Advisory Opinions

Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(c) gives the Legal Ethics Counsel, on behalf of the Advisory Committee, the authority to issue non-binding informal opinions regarding a lawyer’s prospective conduct. The Legal Ethics Counsel issues oral and written informal advisory opinions regarding Rules 4, 5, and 6. The Legal Ethics Counsel cannot provide opinions or advice regarding legal, rather than ethical, questions.

An informal advisory opinion does not affect the authority of a judge to rule on an issue pending before the judge. It also does not affect the authority of other officials, such as the Attorney General or a prosecuting attorney. If a complaint or report is filed with the Chief Disciplinary Counsel regarding the matter, it may be necessary for the Chief Disciplinary Counsel to investigate the complaint or report and determine the facts, independently.

Under Rule 4-1.6(b)(2), it is permissible to disclose confidential information, to the extent reasonably necessary, to obtain an informal advisory opinion.

When requesting an oral or written informal advisory opinion, the attorney should review the Rules of Professional Conduct first. The Rules of Professional Conduct are found collectively in Supreme Court Rule 4, which is included in Missouri Rules of Court. Reviewing the rules will assist the attorney with phrasing the specific question(s) that relate to the particular situation. General questions cannot be answered in an informal advisory opinion. It may also be possible to find the answer or further define the question by researching existing published informal advisory opinions or formal opinions, or by consulting resource pages.

Telephone Informal Advisory Opinions

Most questions can be answered over the telephone.

An attorney requesting an informal advisory opinion by telephone should call personally or have another attorney within the firm call. The Office of Legal Ethics Counsel does not issue advisory opinions to nonattorneys. To request an informal opinion, call the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel at 573-638-2263 and inform the person who answers that you are a Missouri attorney and you are calling for an informal opinion. You will need to provide your name and bar number. Informal opinions will not be given regarding the conduct of an attorney or firm other than the one requesting the opinion. The request must relate to future conduct rather than conduct which has already occurred.

The Office of Legal Ethics Counsel is not staffed as a hotline. As a result, it is often several days before a call is returned. If an attorney has specific time constraints related to the ethical question, the attorney should explain those time constraints when leaving a message. Missouri attorneys are encouraged to add the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel phone number to their phone contacts list so they do not miss a return call. Voicemails will not be left unless the voicemail clearly identifies that it belongs to the inquiring attorney. Return calls will come from the office’s phone number at 573-638-2263.

A general summary of the oral request and telephone opinion may be published to guide other lawyers with similar questions. Any published summary will be generalized, and all identifying information will be removed. Only summaries of opinions may be published.

Written Informal Advisory Opinions

An attorney requesting a written informal advisory opinion should allow approximately one month to receive an answer. If the request is truly urgent, the attorney should identify and explain the urgency in the opening paragraph of the request. A letter acknowledging receipt will be mailed to the requesting attorney.

  • The request should contain specific facts, but first names, initials or other designations should generally be used instead of specific names.
  • The request should be concise but must contain all facts upon which the opinion will be based. Additional or different facts could change the conclusion reached in any opinion.
  • The request must indicate that the person requesting the opinion is the attorney, or a member of the firm, whose conduct is in question. Informal opinions will not be given regarding the conduct of an attorney or firm other than the one requesting the opinion.
  • The request must relate to future conduct rather than conduct which has already occurred.

Questions should be in writing under three circumstances:

  1. when the question is complex or the quantity of information is large,
  2. when the ethical question is new or presents an entirely new twist, or
  3. when the requesting attorney needs a response in writing.

A general summary of the written request and opinion may be published to guide other lawyers with similar questions. Any published summary will be generalized, and all identifying information will be removed. Only summaries of opinions may be published.

To request a written informal opinion, write: Office of Legal Ethics Counsel, 3335 American Avenue, Jefferson City, MO 65109. Facsimile: 573-635-8806

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Formal Opinions

Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(a) permits the Advisory Committee to give formal opinions as to interpretations of Rules 4, 5, and 6.  A request for a formal opinion is the appropriate way to address a matter of general importance, not necessarily related to a specific fact situation. Requests for formal opinions should be addressed to the Chair of the Missouri Supreme Court Advisory Committee, 3335 American Ave., Jefferson City, MO 65109, or faxed to 573-635-8806.  Formal opinions are published on the website of the Supreme Court of Missouri.