道德意见书306

从事法律工作同时销售保险

*[注:请参阅第306号意见如何因修订D.C. 2007年2月1日生效的《靠谱的滚球平台》

靠谱的滚球平台同时也是持牌保险经纪人，可以向公众销售保险产品, 前提是该靠谱的滚球平台完全遵守适用于以非靠谱的滚球平台身份行事的靠谱的滚球平台的职业行为规则. 当靠谱的滚球平台向客户推销保险产品时, she must ensure: (1) her own professional judgment on behalf of the client will not be adversely affected by the transaction; (2) the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable to the client; (3) the client is advised of the right to seek independent counsel; (4) the client has an opportunity to seek independent counsel; (5) the client is advised of the lawyer’s possible conflict of interests and attendant possible adverse consequences; and (6) the client provides written consent to the transaction.

适用的规则

• 规则1.6(信息保密)
• 规则1.(利益冲突:一般规则)
• 规则1.8(利益冲突:禁止交易)
• 规则8.4(行为)

调查

询问者是一名靠谱的滚球平台，同时持有保险经纪人执照. 最近, 初学的, 哥伦比亚特区靠谱的滚球平台协会的会员, 离开政府部门，宣布她打算从事私人执业靠谱的滚球平台. 询问者计划从事法律工作，同时向客户和公众销售保险产品. The inquirer requested our advice concerning whether the 职业行为准则 allow a lawyer to practice law and sell insurance simultaneously from the same office. 询问者还问她向聘请她提供法律服务的客户推销保险是否合乎道德.

讨论

本委员会以前曾认为，“《靠谱的滚球平台》并未对靠谱的滚球平台从事其他业务设置障碍, 与他或她的法律业务分开, 只要靠谱的滚球平台从事该业务不会导致违反《靠谱的足球滚球平台》的适用规定.” D.C. 酒吧Op. No. 226(1992)(引自 e.g., 规则1.3 (duty of zealous representation); 1.7(b)(4) (professional judgment adversely affected by lawyer’s responsibility to third party or lawyer’s own financial interests); 1.8(a)(与客户的交易). 我们还注意到，一名靠谱的滚球平台担任多种专业角色(i.e., lawyer and broker) with respect to a single transaction should comply with applicable provisions of the 职业行为准则 regardless of which “hat” she is wearing 在某种程度上icular aspects of that transaction. 看到 D.C. 酒吧Op. No. 226.

当询问者向非客户销售保险时, 她不以靠谱的滚球平台的身份行事，也不以靠谱的滚球平台的身份与她所代表的个人打交道. 相应的, 询问者必须确保客户明白，她在保险交易中完全是作为保险经纪人，而不是作为靠谱的滚球平台. 作为靠谱的滚球平台协会的成员, 然而, 即使询问者是在销售保险而不是执业靠谱的滚球平台，她也必须遵守某些职业行为规则. 有关的《靠谱的滚球平台》将适用于以非靠谱的滚球平台身份行事的靠谱的滚球平台. 看,e.g., 规则8.(靠谱的滚球平台不得“从事涉及不诚实、欺诈、欺骗或虚假陈述的行为”).

进一步, 向非客户销售保险产品时, 询问者应确保靠谱的滚球平台-客户关系不会在不经意间产生. 保险产品的潜在购买者可能知道询问者是一名靠谱的滚球平台, 在某种程度上, 因为保险将由靠谱的滚球平台事务所出售. The prospective purchaser also may have or may indicate an expectation that 初学的 will bring her legal judgment to bear in recommending insurance products. 在任何情况下, 初学的 should inform the prospective purchaser that she is not functioning as a lawyer and will not be exercising professional judgment as a lawyer on behalf of the purchaser.

如果询问者向其客户销售保险产品, 她正在与客户进行一笔商业交易. 规则1.8 (a)提供:

(a)靠谱的滚球平台不得与客户进行商业交易或在知情的情况下取得其所有权, 占有, 安全, 或其他对客户不利的金钱利益，除非:

(1) The transaction and terms on which the lawyer acquires the interest are fair and reasonable to the client and are fully disclosed and transmitted in writing to the client in a manner which can be reasonably understood by the client;

(2) The client is given a reasonable opportunity to seek the advice of independent counsel in the transaction; and

(3)委托人以书面形式同意.

相应的, 向她的客户推销保险产品, 询盘人必须确保交易条款对客户公平合理，并以书面形式充分披露和传达给客户. 询问者还应告知委托人有权寻求独立靠谱的滚球平台. 下一个, 询问者必须让客户有机会就保险交易的条款寻求独立靠谱的滚球平台的意见. The matter in which the client is given an opportunity to seek the advice of independent counsel may vary depending on such factors as the sophistication of the client, 交易的规模, 以及客户对咨询独立靠谱的滚球平台的必要性的确信. Cf. 评论[19] & [20]改为规则1.7. 然后询问者必须得到客户对交易的书面同意.

除了遵守规则1之外.8(a)，询问者亦须遵守规则1.7(b)(4)向客户销售保险产品时. 规则1.第7(b)条规定“靠谱的滚球平台不得就下列事项代表客户: . . . (4) [t]he lawyer’s professional judgment on behalf of the client will be or reasonably may be adversely affected by the lawyer’s responsibilities to or interests in a third party or the lawyer’s own financial, 业务, 财产, 或者个人兴趣.“然而，规则1.7(c) allows a lawyer to represent a client despite a conflicting financial or 业务 interest “if each potentially affected client provides consent to such representation after full disclosure of the existence and nature of the possible conflict and the possible adverse consequences of such representation.”

为了遵守规则1.7(b), 初学的 should not recommend or enter into a 业务 transaction with a client unless she concludes that her professional judgment on behalf of the client will not be adversely affected by the transaction. 看到 对规则1的注释[25].7. The inquirer must be careful that her ability to make a profit on the sale of insurance does not cloud her professional judgment as to whether insurance is really needed by the client. 看到 N.H. 酒吧Op. No. 1998-99/14 (2000). 在这方面, the New York State 酒吧 concluded that a lawyer engaged in estate planning may not recommend or sell life insurance products to the lawyer’s estate planning clients if the lawyer has a financial interest in the sale of the particular products. The New York State 酒吧 reasoned that under such circumstances the lawyer’s financial interest would be reasonably likely to interfere with the lawyer’s independent professional judgment in advising the client how best to satisfy his or her financial needs regarding trust and estate planning. 看到 N.Y. 州靠谱的滚球平台协会. No. 619 (1991).

即使询问者认为她代表客户的专业判断不会受到交易的不利影响, 初学的 should not recommend or enter into the 业务 agreement without full disclosure to the client of 初学的’s own interest in the transaction so that the client can make a fully informed choice. Such disclosure should include the nature and substance of 初学的’s interest in the insurance product offered (including the fact that the lawyer will be earning commissions, 折扣, 或从保险人或任何其他第三方获得的其他利益), 保险服务的替代来源, 询问人的陈述可能造成的不利后果, 并提供足够的信息，使客户明白提供保险服务不是法律服务. 看到 对规则1的注释[25].7. 此披露不必以书面形式或采取任何特定形式. 看到 对规则1的注释[20].7. 然而, A the form of disclosure sufficient for more sophisticated 业务 clients may not be sufficient to permit less sophisticated clients to provide fully informed consent.” Id.

如果询问者对保险承保人或另一方的义务不允许向其客户充分披露, 询问者不能继续进行保险交易. 看到 对规则1的注释[19].7. 尽管询问者的利益存在冲突，但询问者也必须获得客户的同意才能进行交易.

向她的客户推销保险, 初学的 also must be mindful that she still is bound by all of her obligations to the client as a result of the existing attorney-client relationship in matters other than the insurance transaction. 因此, 询问者有, 除其他义务外, 有责任保守客户的秘密和机密. 看到 规则1.6. 在某种程度上，询问者知道客户的秘密或秘密，而这些秘密或秘密与提供保险服务不一致, 除非法律另有授权，否则未经客户同意，询问者不得透露该信息. 然而, 询问者不能“从事涉及不诚实的行为”, 欺诈, 欺骗, 或歪曲.” 看到 规则8.4. There may well be situations in which 初学的 is obligated to disclose certain information to the insurance company that underwrites the policies she sells. 在这种情况下，询问者可能无法向客户销售保险.

我们在本意见中表达的观点得到了其他司法管辖区最近的道德意见的支持. 新罕布什尔州道德委员会建议，同时也是持牌保险经纪人的靠谱的滚球平台可以向其遗产规划客户提供保险产品, 只要客户在充分披露并有机会咨询独立靠谱的滚球平台后书面同意, 交易是公平的, 靠谱的滚球平台确信她的专业判断不会被她出售保险的利益所影响. 看到 N.H. 酒吧Op. 1998-99/14. 类似的, 纽约州靠谱的滚球平台协会职业道德委员会允许持有保险经纪人执照的靠谱的滚球平台向客户销售保险产品, 前提是靠谱的滚球平台作为靠谱的滚球平台的职业判断不会受到损害，并且靠谱的滚球平台明确表示, 在销售保险方面, 靠谱的滚球平台没有代表当事人行使专业判断. 看到 N.Y. 州靠谱的滚球平台协会. No. 687 (1997). 靠谱的滚球平台还必须征得当事人的同意, 在充分披露靠谱的滚球平台的利益冲突之后, 继续进行交易. Id. 但看到 N.Y. 州靠谱的滚球平台协会. No. 619 (estate planning lawyer could not sell insurance products to client because his financial interest interfered with independent professional judgment in advising client on trust and estate matters). The New York State 酒吧 allowed the lawyer to sell insurance products to non-clients subject to the obligation to avoid 欺骗ful conduct and subject to solicitation rules. 纽约州靠谱的滚球平台事务所. No. 687; 另请参阅 S.C. 阿德. Op. No. 98-29(1998)(不禁止持有保险执照的执业靠谱的滚球平台在美国销售人寿保险.C.); Utah 乙. Op. No. 146A (1995) (lawyer may sell insurance products to existing legal clients after fulfilling the disclosure and consent requirements); Mich. 乙. Op. No. RI-135(1992)(靠谱的滚球平台/保险代理人可以向法律客户出售保险，前提是与客户的商业交易符合道德规范, 保密, and conflicts of interest are observed); Ill. 阿德. Op. No. 90-32(1991)(靠谱的滚球平台可以在知情和同意的情况下向法律客户销售保险产品). 因此, 权威的分量支持我们的结论，即靠谱的滚球平台可以向公众和她的客户销售保险产品, 但靠谱的滚球平台必须遵守某些职业行为规则.

调查没有. 00-8-33
通过日期:2001年2月20日