Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Outsourcing legal work to a freelance attorney is entirely ethical. According to the American Bar Association (“ABA”) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, and the most up to date advisory opinion released by ABA in 2008 (ABA Opinion No. 08-451) “There is nothing unethical about a lawyer outsourcing legal and nonlegal services, provided the outsourcing lawyer renders legal services to the client with the ‘legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation,’ as required by Rule 1.1”, makes the appropriate disclosures to the client regarding the use of an attorney outside of the hiring attorney’s firm, and obtains the client’s consent.
Yes. A lawyer admitted in another United States jurisdiction may provide legal services on a temporary basis in that jurisdiction as long as those legal services “are undertaken in association with a lawyer who is admitted to practice in this jurisdiction and who actively participates in the matter.” ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, 5.5(c)(1).
ABA Opinion 08-451 provides a similar explanation: “Ordinarily, an individual who is not admitted to practice law in a particular jurisdiction may work for a lawyer who is so admitted, provided that the lawyer remains responsible for the work being performed and that the individual is not held out as being a duly admitted lawyer.”
No. Clients that outsource work to our company can rest assured that their projects are being handled in-house by onshore, licensed attorneys.
Yes. Although the hiring attorney is required to verify that it has a sufficient malpractice insurance policy to cover the project assigned to us, we also carry professional liability insurance in the event the hiring attorney’s insurer seeks indemnification for a malpractice claim.
Kimberlee Gee Legal is a legal outsourcing business that provides legal research and writing services to other licensed attorneys who represent both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide range of civil litigation matters. Check our extensive list of practice areas and our substantive industry knowledge here.
We do not provide services to non-lawyers or pro se litigants.
Absolutely. Once we confirm and accept your project, you can rest assured that we take every precaution to secure and protect the information you provide to us. As attorneys we must abide by the same ethics rules that you do, and make it our practice to comply with all guidelines addressing confidentiality and data security.
The answer is simple. Outsourcing saves time, money and stress for you and your client.
Legal research and legal writing are time-intensive tasks. And, for some, it is just plain boring. Outsourcing this work to another attorney lets you utilize your core capabilities to do what you do best, and lets the freelance attorney do the rest.
By outsourcing your work, you also receive built-in cost efficiency. When you outsource work to a freelance attorney, you are paying only for the actual cost of the outsourced work for a finite period. Outsourcing is also cost efficient because in most jurisdictions you are not required to bill the client at the cost to them for the freelance attorney’s time, but rather may charge the client a premium above the amount you have paid for the outsourced work, as long as the overall fee for the work remains “reasonable.”
For more guidance about your obligations when outsourcing, please read ABA Formal Op. 08-451 and ABA Formal Op. 00-420.
Although you can find plenty of paralegals or research professionals that can provide similar services, we believe that outsourcing your project to another licensed attorney greatly enhances the quality of the product you will receive. A licensed attorney has the unique experience and training to spot legal issues, understand the nuances and complexities of the law, craft legal solutions and write in a manner most appealing and persuasive to the ruling body or decision-maker presiding over your case.
Before committing to having an attorney render services on your behalf, you may wish to review samples of our previous work products and writing samples. To provide you with the most relevant materials, please contact us and describe the type of project you are interested in pursuing. We will give you samples and further information to meet your needs.
The most expedient and efficient way to place a project request is to contact the owner by email at kgee@kimberleegeelegal.com, or call 1.800.366.0573. You can also schedule a free consultation by using this link: https://kimberleegeelegal.
We will gladly accept your business check or cashier check, made payable to Kimberlee Gee Legal. We also accept credit card payments.
Of course. We are not satisfied until you are. Although we aim to produce a quality product that exceeds your expectations upon first delivery, we are more than happy to make additional edits and revisions until the work product meets your standards and specifications.
We accept research and writing projects on a first come, first served basis. Before taking your project, we ask the prospective customer to identify:
- All opposing counsel
- the firm names of each opposing counsel; and
- the full title of the case, identifying each party to the lawsuit.
We then cross-reference this information in our electronic, conflicts check database. If we find there is a conflict of interest, we will notify you immediately.