Model Rule 5.4 prohibits what?

• A. Sharing legal fees with non-lawyers and nonlawyer ownership or control that impairs professional independence.
• B. Prohibiting advertising to non-clients.
• C. Confidentiality of client information.
• D. Reporting ethical violations.

Answer: (A)

Model Rule 5.4 focuses on protecting a lawyer’s professional independence from outside influence, especially in how fees are shared and who can own or control a law practice. The rule makes it clear that lawyers may not share legal fees with non-lawyers, and it may restrict non-lawyers from owning or having control in a law firm if that control could impair the lawyer’s independent professional judgment. The idea is to prevent any financial or business arrangement from pressuring a lawyer to make legal decisions or recommendations based on someone else’s interests rather than the client’s best interests.

In practice, this means a firm cannot divide fees with a non-lawyer or allow a non-lawyer to own or exert control over the practice in a way that could sway legal judgment. The other options point to different ethics topics: advertising to non-clients falls under advertising rules, confidentiality of client information is governed by confidentiality rules, and reporting ethical violations is handled under a separate rule about reporting misconduct.