Opinion ID: 1250676
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Engaging in Conflicts of Interest.

Text: The commission found that Baker permitted Voegtlin to influence his professional judgment in providing legal services to clients referred to Baker, resulting in a conflict of interest. This finding is predicated on alleged violations of DR 5-107(B) and EC 5-1. DR 5-107(B) provides: A lawyer shall not permit a person who recommends, employs, or pays him to render legal services for another to direct or regulate his professional judgment in rendering such legal services. (Emphasis added.) EC 5-1 provides: The professional judgment of a lawyer should be exercised, within the bounds of the law, solely for the benefit of his client and free of compromising influences and loyalties. Neither his personal interests, the interests of other clients, nor the desires of third persons should be permitted to dilute his loyalty to his client. (Emphasis added.) The commission found sufficient evidence to establish a violation of DR 5-107(B) and EC 5-1. We agree. We have already found that Voegtlin, not Baker, exercised professional judgment as to the appropriateness of a living trust and the particular documents necessary to effectuate it. We have also referred to the reasons why Voegtlin promoted living trusts. All of this is another way of saying that Baker permitted Voegtlin to direct or regulate his professional judgment in rendering legal services to the referred clients. DR 5-107(B). All of this is also another way of saying that Baker permitted Voegtlin's desires to dilute [Baker's] loyalty to his client[s]. EC 5-1. Like the commission, we find that the prospect of receiving additional referrals constituted the compromising influences mentioned in EC 5-1. The number of referrals was manyapproximately 100 in all. And the fees generated by them were substantialapproximately $40,000 in total. It is significant to us that Baker came to eventually realize that he was the only lawyer receiving these referrals, and that fact bothered him.