This professional responsibility and legal ethics CLE addresses the ethical challenges lawyers face when firms change ownership, leadership, or structure. This course focuses on the ethical duties imposed by the Rules of Professional Conduct when selling, acquiring, expanding, or winding down a law practice, with an emphasis on safeguarding client interests and maintaining compliance during transition.

The program examines ethics rules governing law firm sales and acquisitions, including client notification and consent, confidentiality in negotiations, conflicts of interest, supervision of inherited matters, and ethical considerations in firm valuation and fee arrangements. It also explores professional responsibility issues arising from internal succession planning, firm growth, and start-up law firms, including marketing, firm naming, competence, and technology-related ethical obligations.

Through a practical, rules-based approach, this course provides attorneys with guidance on identifying ethics risks, avoiding disciplinary pitfalls, and implementing best practices to ensure ethical and compliant law firm transitions.