Opinion ID: 2366331
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The question certified is:

Text: Is Delaware Lawyers' Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5(e) a statement of Delaware public policy, such that failure to adhere to its requirements renders an agreement to share fees between attorneys not in the same firm void as a matter of Delaware law? We find this question to be overly broad, and therefore we respectfully restate the question as follows: [2] Does the public policy of this State permit a Delaware lawyer who violates Rule 1.5(e) of the Delaware Lawyers' Rules of Professional Conduct to use the Rules as a shield to avoid a contractual duty to share an attorney fee with a Pennsylvania lawyer who did not violate the Pennsylvania rules of professional conduct? We hold that a Delaware attorney may not use a violation of the Lawyers' Rule of Conduct 1.5(e) as a defense to the enforcement of an agreement with an out-of-state lawyer, not charged with compliance with a similar rule in his own jurisdiction. We thus answer the restated certified question in the NEGATIVE.