New York Bar lays ground rules for MDP compromise

New York Bar lays ground rules for MDP compromise

New York has become the first US state to lay down rules to govern the commercial relationship between lawyers and non-lawyers.From 1 November, the New York State Bar Association will allow limited and strictly regulated alliances between the two.Those law firms which offer non-legal services directly to the public will have to separate the professions clearly or be bound by the legal ethics rules in the performance of non-legal services.Law firms that enter contractual relationships with non-legal pro-viders must do so only with professions which have certain minimal education standards and enforceable rules of ethical conduct.

The new rule makes clear that the non-lawyer can have no control over the law firm, while the client must give consent to and be fully informed of his rights in relation to any referrals between the two.Association president Steven Krane said: 'We hope that the rules are recognised and accepted as a reasoned solution to the MDP [multi-disciplinary practice] debate, and become the standard nationwide.'