A law firm’s “reimbursement agreement,” requiring a departing attorney to pay over $1,000 per client he retained, violated Colorado ethics rules because it restricts an attorney’s right to practice and a client’s right to counsel of his or her choice, the Supreme Court for the State of Colorado held this week.
On Tuesday, the high court held that Colorado Rule of Professional Conduct 5.6(a) prohibits agreements requiring a lawyer departing a firm pay it an undifferentiated per-client fee for continued representation of those clients. Permitting agreements like it would violate important public policy interest, the court said.
