Minnesota State Bar Association

E-Poll

Multidisciplinary Practice
How do MSBA members feel about MDP? Here's what our readers say.*

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95% Agree
5% Disagree
1. All lawyers providing legal services should be held to a common standard of professional values and ethics.

43% Agree
57% Disagree

2. Ethical legal practice can coexist with some level of fee sharing and co-ownership of the firm with nonlawyers.

Comments:

The real issue is about money and loyalty. Business entities in general are controlled by money. Only lawyers subject their professional licenses to forfeiture for breaches of ethical rules.

48% Agree
52% Disagree
3. Any firm involved in the practice of law should have as its sole purpose the delivery of legal services.

Comments:

MDP could be to lawyers what HMOs have been to doctors and pharmacists. We should begin to enforce the unauthorized practice statute and keep MDP out.

38% Agree
57% Disagree
5% No Response
4. A significant number of clients prefer to receive legal advice and counsel from lawyers practicing in multidisciplinary practice organizations.

Comments:

The number one thing that will need to be recognized is that the public is "poised" and may be already "positioned" to accept MDPs by other industry such as banking industry and the legal profession must respond or be left behind.

57% Agree
43% Disagree
5. Lawyers should be permitted to practice law in entities at least partially owned by nonlawyers.

Comments:

The rich get richer, the poor poorer on both sides of equation. Practice of law distributed by larger and larger MDP firms eliminate smaller efficient operation.

Asking these question of lawyers only will not give the best view of what should be done. Layers are very protective and resist change regardless of merit.

52% Agree
48% Disagree
6. Lawyer control over the MDP entity is the only practical means to prevent economic conflicts from overwhelming lawyers' ethical obligations.

100% Agree
0% Disagree
7. Lawyers' core values of independence, loyalty, confidentiality, and professionalism are essential only in the litigation context.

Comments:

Multidisciplinary practice endangers the attorney-client confidentiality relationship. It should be vigorously resisted.

76% Agree
24% Disagree

8. Passive investment by nonlawyers in MDP entities should be prohibited. 76% agree, 24% disagree.

62% Agree
38% Disagree

9. Expanding the permissible scope of multidisciplinary practice will endanger the independence and core values of the legal profession. 62% agree, 38% disagree

Comments:

If a lawyer loses even the perception of independence, how can and do you keep the clients trust?

19% Agree
81% Disagree

10.Market forces and legislation can be relied on to protect the interests of clients receiving legal services from multidisciplinary practice organizations. 19% agree, 81% disagree.

Comments:

Remember the diversity of a non-metro attorney and his clients' needs.

This poll appeared in the May/June 2000 print and online versions of Bench & Bar.

	95% Agree 5% Disagree	1. All lawyers providing legal services should be held to a common standard of professional values and ethics.

	43% Agree 57% Disagree	2. Ethical legal practice can coexist with some level of fee sharing and co-ownership of the firm with nonlawyers. Comments: The real issue is about money and loyalty. Business entities in general are controlled by money. Only lawyers subject their professional licenses to forfeiture for breaches of ethical rules.

	48% Agree 52% Disagree	3. Any firm involved in the practice of law should have as its sole purpose the delivery of legal services. Comments: MDP could be to lawyers what HMOs have been to doctors and pharmacists. We should begin to enforce the unauthorized practice statute and keep MDP out.

	38% Agree 57% Disagree 5% No Response	4. A significant number of clients prefer to receive legal advice and counsel from lawyers practicing in multidisciplinary practice organizations. Comments: The number one thing that will need to be recognized is that the public is "poised" and may be already "positioned" to accept MDPs by other industry such as banking industry and the legal profession must respond or be left behind.

	57% Agree 43% Disagree	5. Lawyers should be permitted to practice law in entities at least partially owned by nonlawyers. Comments: The rich get richer, the poor poorer on both sides of equation. Practice of law distributed by larger and larger MDP firms eliminate smaller efficient operation. Asking these question of lawyers only will not give the best view of what should be done. Layers are very protective and resist change regardless of merit.

	52% Agree 48% Disagree	6. Lawyer control over the MDP entity is the only practical means to prevent economic conflicts from overwhelming lawyers' ethical obligations.

	100% Agree 0% Disagree	7. Lawyers' core values of independence, loyalty, confidentiality, and professionalism are essential only in the litigation context. Comments: Multidisciplinary practice endangers the attorney-client confidentiality relationship. It should be vigorously resisted.

	76% Agree 24% Disagree	8. Passive investment by nonlawyers in MDP entities should be prohibited. 76% agree, 24% disagree.

	62% Agree 38% Disagree	9. Expanding the permissible scope of multidisciplinary practice will endanger the independence and core values of the legal profession. 62% agree, 38% disagree Comments: If a lawyer loses even the perception of independence, how can and do you keep the clients trust?

	19% Agree 81% Disagree	10.Market forces and legislation can be relied on to protect the interests of clients receiving legal services from multidisciplinary practice organizations. 19% agree, 81% disagree. Comments: Remember the diversity of a non-metro attorney and his clients' needs.