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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I recall a case (I believe a disciplinary case), within the past 10 – 12 years, where an attorney was trying to settle a potential malpractice claim a client had against the attorney, and the attorney paid some money to the client, but, before payment, the attorney demanded that the client sign a sweeping Release. (I cannot recall for sure, but I think that, subsequently, the attorney was trying to rely on the enforceability of the release after another attorney took up the client’s case against the attorney.) <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I believe the attorney was disciplined for not advising the client to seek independent counsel and for not giving the client the opportunity to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Maybe that was tied to the RPC cited by Karen, but I just do not have the time to double-check the RPC before I shoot off this comment. The actual details of the case I am remembering are pretty far back in the recesses of my memory.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Does anyone else remember such a case?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Doug Bratt<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#1F497D'>Douglas J. Bratt</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Lucida Calligraphy";color:#1F497D'>Lawyer</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><img width=165 height=167 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D218E8.58B67EC0" alt="Envelope scaled Terry"></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>Office: (360) 213-2040 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> Fax: (360) 213-2030<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This email message may contain confidential or privileged information. If you have received this message by mistake, please do not review, disclose, copy, or distribute the email. Instead, please notify us immediately by replying to this message or telephoning us. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>NOTE:</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#1F497D'>I do not use encrypted email. Messages sent to or from my office via email are not secure and may not be protected by attorney-client privilege. This email address is not monitored at all times. If your matter is urgent, please phone my office during regular business hours.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Karen E. Boxx<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 27, 2016 4:07 PM<br><b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Self-Serving Receipt of Heir<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Sounds like a potential violation of RPC 1.8(h). <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> [<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Paul<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 27, 2016 3:09 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Self-Serving Receipt of Heir<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Just saw something that raised my eyebrows in a probate where I represent a beneficiary. The PR’s attorney prepared, and is distributing for signature, a “Receipt of Heirs” that releases the estate, the PR, <u>AND THE PR’S ATTORNEY</u>. It releases “[PR’s attorney’s name], in his capacity as attorney for the personal representative, from any further or other liability with regard to this matter.” This just doesn’t pass the smell test for me. OR, should I start preparing my Receipt of Heirs by releasing <i>me</i> for probates I am handling??? What is the common practice out there in probate land?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a name="Paul_Neumiller"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><img border=0 width=250 height=150 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D218E5.49668A80"></span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>