MINNESOTA COURT RULES

PROFESSIONAL RULES

Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board Opinions

OPINION NO. 17

Accepting Gratuities from Court Reporting Services and Other Similar Services

A lawyer ought not to accept, or to permit any nonlawyer employee to accept, a gratuity offered by a court reporting service or other similar service for which a client is expected to pay unless the client consents after consultation. However, a lawyer may accept nominal gifts, such as pens, coffee mugs, and other similar advertising-type gifts without consent of the client. See Rules 1.4, 1.5(a), 1.8(f)(1) and 5.3, Minnesota Rules of Professional Conduct (MRPC). See also Rule 1.0(c), MRPC.

	Adopted:	June 18, 1993.
	Amended:	January 26, 2006.