Ethics attorneys hopeful COVID-19 will prompt changes in remote working rules
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The continued spread of COVID-19 has resulted in lawyers across the country working remotely for months on end, including in jurisdictions where they are not licensed to practice law.
While this trend prioritizes public health and provides workers with increased flexibility, it could also raise ethical issues for some attorneys.
That’s because many states have adopted rules of professional conduct making it the unauthorized practice of law for a duly licensed lawyer to practice remotely from a jurisdiction where he or she is not admitted for longer than a temporary period and without meeting several stringent requirements. These state regulations are typically based on ABA Model Rule 5.5.