Opinion ID: 1989786
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: disposition of authorized attorneys, rozmus, and bradley d.

Text: In sum, the motions in these three cases allege that PSI is a for-profit corporation doing business in Nebraska under a contractual arrangement with DHHS. It is argued that the business of PSI, child support enforcement, amounts to the unauthorized practice of law by PSI as a for-profit corporation and is in violation of the Nebraska Supreme Court's Professional Corporations rule and the Code of Professional Responsibility. PSI contends that it was not practicing law in the performance of its contract with DHHS because the legal services performed for the benefit of DHHS were performed by employees who are licensed attorneys and not by laypersons. PSI argues that its interest, profiting financially by collecting as much child support as possible, does not conflict with the State's interest in collecting as much child support as possible. Therefore, as a matter of policy, PSI should be permitted to continue representing DHHS. In Authorized Attorneys and Rozmus, the district court determined that PSI's actions constituted the practice of law by a corporation that was neither in compliance with the Nebraska Professional Corporation Act nor the Nebraska Supreme Court's rules governing the corporate practice of law, thereby violating § 7-101. The court ordered that PSI is hereby disqualified from practicing law in this Court, as required by its contract with [DHHS] until such time as said corporation shall comply with the Nebraska Professional Corporation Act and the rules of the Supreme Court.... In Bradley D., the juvenile court determined that PSI's actions in performing the contract with DHHS constituted the practice of law, but also determined that PSI was not in compliance with the Nebraska Professional Corporation Act and the rules of this court governing the corporate practice of law. The court concluded that the actions of [PSI] and its authorized attorneys constitute the unauthorized practice of law and ordered that PSI is hereby disqualified from practicing law in the Douglas County Juvenile Court. PSI appealed from both the district court's and juvenile court's disqualification orders in three separate appeals. The three appeals have been consolidated.