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Friday, February 16, 2007

Law - "Va. Bar Could Reverse Limits On Firms Hiring Legislators"

Here is an interesting story in the Washington Post today that begins:

RICHMOND -- The organization charged with regulating Virginia attorneys is pushing to erase an ethics rule that for a half-century has prohibited the state's legislators from being employed alongside lobbyists at the commonwealth's largest law firms.

The change, proposed by the Virginia State Bar's standing committee on legal ethics, could spark a bidding war among Richmond's leading law firms, which would be free to hire the speaker of the House of Delegates or the Senate floor leader even as their lobbyists prowl the halls of the General Assembly.

That has outraged some in the legislature, who say the move would create dangerous conflicts of interest for the lawmakers and the lobbyists. And they say it adds to a perception that the General Assembly is a good old boys' club where deals are cut behind closed doors instead of in public committee rooms. * * *

Virginia's existing rule is stronger than in many states, where sitting lawmakers and lobbyists are often allowed to work in the same law firm, according to state bar officials. Arizona, Illinois, Washington and New Hampshire permit the practice, officials said. At least nine other bar associations prohibit firms from having both lobbyists and sitting lawmakers. Maryland does not have any such prohibition, but the state imposes certain restrictions on lawmakers who work for firms with lobbying arms.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe Indiana has such a prohibition.

Not mentioned on the Post story is one practice I've noticed in Indianapolis in the past; law firms putting candidates for office on the firm payroll while they make their run for office.

Then of course there is the issue of state universities putting legislators on the payroll. See this ILB entry titled "Ind. Gov't. - Should legislators should be allowed to serve as officers or directors of state universities and schools?" from Oct. 8, 2006.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on February 16, 2007 08:40 AM
Posted to General Law Related