Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:219 – Unlawful payments by attorneys; unlawful solicitation of employment for legal practitioners; penalty
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:219
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
A. It shall be unlawful for any attorney to pay money or give any other thing of value to any person for the purpose of obtaining representation of any client.
B.(1) No person, firm, or entity shall solicit employment for a legal practitioner. This Paragraph shall not apply to a communication governed by the Louisiana State Bar Articles of Incorporation, Article 16, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.1.
(2) This Section does not prevent any corporation or voluntary association formed for benevolent or charitable purposes and recognized by law from furnishing an attorney at law to give free assistance to persons without means.
C.(1) Whoever violates the provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not less than ninety days nor more than five years.
(2) For a second and each subsequent violation of the provisions of this Section, the penalty shall be a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars and imprisonment at hard labor for not less than three years and for not more than fifteen years without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence for the first five years.
Added by Acts 1977, No. 759, §1. Acts 1993, No. 420, §2; Acts 2001, No. 835, §1; Acts 2006, No. 684, §1.