‘‘(1) a recipient or other grantee or contractor
of the Corporation, or an employee of any such re-
cipient, grantee, or contractor may accept employ-
ment by a close friend, relative, former client (if the
advice given is germane to the previous employment
by the client), or person whom the recipient, grant-
ee, contractor, or employee reasonably believes to be
a client because the recipient, grantee, contractor, or
employee is currently handling an active legal matter
or case for that specific person;
‘‘(2) a recipient or other grantee or contractor
of the Corporation, or an employee of any such re-
cipient, grantee, or contractor may accept employ-
ment or refer a nonattorney to another such recipi-
ent, grantee, contractor, or employee when the em-
ployment or referral (as the case may be) results
from the participation of the recipient, grantee, con-
tractor, or employee in activities designed to educate
nonattorneys about their legal rights, to recognize
legal problems, to make intelligent selection of coun-
sel, or to utilize available legal services if such out-
reach activities are conducted or sponsored by the
recipient, grantee, or contractor, another legal as-
sistance organization, or a church organization; and
‘‘(3) without affecting the right of a recipient,
other grantee or contractor of the Corporation, or
employee of any such recipient, grantee, or contrac-
tor to accept employment, any such recipient, grant-
ee, contractor, or employee may speak publicly or
write for publication on legal topics if such recipient,
grantee, contractor, or employee does not emphasize
his, her, or its own professional experience or rep-
utation and does not undertake to give individual
advice in such speech or publication.’’.
SEC. 14. CERTAIN EVICTION PROCEEDINGS.
Section 1007 (42 U.S.C. 2996f) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following:
‘‘(k)(1) No funds made available by or through the
Corporation may be used for initiating the defense of a
person in a proceeding to evict that person from a public
housing project if the person has been convicted of the
illegal sale or distribution of a controlled substance and
if the eviction proceeding is brought by a public housing
agency because the illegal drug activity of that person
threatens the health or safety of other tenants residing
in the public housing project or employees of the public
housing agency.
‘‘(2) As used in this subsection—
‘‘(A) the term ‘controlled substance’ has the
meaning given that term in section 102 of the Con-
trolled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802); and
‘‘(B) the terms ‘public housing project’ and
‘public housing agency’ have the meanings given
those terms in section 3 of the United States Hous-
ing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a).’’.
SEC. 15. PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS FOR LITIGATION.
Section 1007 (42 U.S.C. 2996f) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following:
‘‘(l) No recipient, other grantee or contractor of the
Corporation, or employee of such recipient, grantee, or
contractor may engage in precomplaint settlement nego-
tiations, file a complaint, or otherwise pursue litigation
against a defendant unless a written retainer agreement
which enumerates the particular facts on which the claim
or controversy is initially based has been signed by the
plaintiffs (including named plaintiffs in a class action).
Such retainer agreement shall be executed when represen-
tation commences or, if not possible at that time because
of an emergency situation, then as soon thereafter as is
practicable. Such retainer agreement—
‘‘(1) shall be kept on file by the recipient,
grantee, or contractor, in a manner that does not
disclose information protected by the attorney-client