Legal Question in Legal Malpractice in California
ethics and/or malpractice
Is it illegal for a person who passed the CA bar to use to title ESQ without being a licensed Attorney in the state of CA when handling business transactions, including but not limited to, International? Thanks
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: ethics and/or malpractice
If not currently admitted to the CA bar, an attorney may not practice in CA, so the question is contradictory. Just using Esq is not 'illegal', but practicing without a license is, and that would include 'representing' the company in business transactions, domestic or foreign. The exception would be for an attorney employed by a company to internally prepare documents for their use. He could not participate in any court proceedings or hold himself out as the 'company's attorney'.
Re: ethics and/or malpractice
no, but they must be careful to not mislead