1556
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| A firm may not require a withdrawing partner to divide fees earned from representing clients the withdrawing partner took when the partner withdrew. A professional corporation may not ethically enforce a provision under which a withdrawing lawyer who competed with the firm (within a fifty mile radius) and took clients originally brought to the firm by retired lawyers must reimburse the firm for payments it made to the retired lawyers. The Bar overrules LEO 985 "to the extent that it approves a provision in an employment agreement permitting a law firm to exact a financial penalty from a lawyer (or lawyers) who withdraw and take clients of the law firm with them." |