Navigating California Rule 5.4: Fee Sharing, Non-Lawyer Arrangements, and Evolving Legal Ethics
California Rule of Professional Conduct 5.4 protects the independence, integrity, and public trust central to the legal profession. The rule restricts fee sharing with nonlawyers and prohibits certain business relationships that could undermine a lawyer’s duty to act solely in the client’s interest. These limits are not outdated; rather, they …
