QUESTION: Attorney owns office space and is considering entering into a landlord/tenant office sharing relationship with a non-attorney. The offices are all separated and have closing doors. There would be a common reception area. The non-attorney would have a separate secretary and phone system. There would be separate signage outside and inside the office space. All legal files would be maintained in separate storage and secured. No sharing of information would occur. There would be no sharing of advertising. ANSWER: Based on the information provided, the office sharing arrangement Attorney has proposed will not violate the Rules of Professional Conduct.

Informal Opinions are ethics advisory opinions issued by the Office of Legal Ethics Counsel to members of the Bar about Rule 4 (Rules of Professional Conduct), Rule 5 (Complaints and Proceedings Thereon), and Rule 6 (Fees to Practice Law) pursuant to Missouri Supreme Court Rule 5.30(c). Written summaries of select Informal Opinions are published for informational purposes as determined by the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri pursuant to Rule 5.30(c). Informal opinion summaries are advisory in nature and are not binding. These opinions are published as an educational service and do not constitute legal advice.

To request an Informal Opinion, please visit: https://mo-legal-ethics.org/for lawyers/requesting-an-informal-advisory-opinion/.

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