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<p class="MsoNormal">Notice the 2012 date of the opinion:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt;text-align:center">
<a href="https://ao.wsba.org/print.aspx?ID=1660"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#23527C">2214</span></a><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#333333">2012<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#333333">RPC 1.5(a), 1.5(b)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#333333">Credit Card Transaction Fees Charged to Client<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:15.0pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica Neue",serif;color:#333333">This opinion addresses whether credit card transaction fees may be charged to the client.<br>
<br>
Question: A lawyer accepts payments from a client by credit card. The client pays the lawyer with a credit card and the credit card company then charges the lawyer a fee for the transaction. May the lawyer charge the client an additional amount to cover the
fee charged the lawyer for the credit card transaction?<br>
<br>
Answer: It is not prohibited under the Rules of Professional Conduct, PROVIDED that the lawyer notifies the client in advance of such charges and does not charge the client any more than a fee that reasonably reflects the actual cost incurred by the lawyer
for the credit card transaction. HOWEVER, the attorney should consult the merchant services agreement from their credit card processor, as it is typically prohibited to charge these fees back to the customer.<br>
<br>
Analysis: Lawyers may charge clients reasonable amounts for expenses. RPC 1.5(a). The lawyer should communicate with the client in writing the basis for expenses for which the client will be responsible. RPC 1.5(b). Comment 1 to RPC 1.5 further explains that
a lawyer may charge a client “for the cost of services performed in-house, such as copying, or for other expenses incurred in-house, such as telephone charges, either by charging a reasonable amount to which the client has agreed in advance or by charging
an amount that reasonably reflects the cost incurred by the lawyer.”<br>
<br>
At the time of issuance, of this opinion, the operating agreements used by most of the major credit card companies prohibit charging customers extra fees to cover the cost of such credit card transaction fees and attempting to do so may place a lawyer in violation
of obligations imposed by the credit card provider agreements. [note 1]. Before attempting to charge a client any fee to recover the costs imposed by credit card providers, the lawyer should carefully consult all applicable agreements and the contracting bank.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
[n.1] Despite prohibiting transaction fees to the consumer, many credit card agreements permit the use of discounts for cash payments. A lawyer should carefully review the applicable credit card agreements and contact the contracting bank to assess what is
permitted under the specific agreement at issue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Roger Hawkes, WSBA # 5173
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Shoreline</span></i> Office: 19944 Ballinger Way NE<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Shoreline, WA 98155<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Sultan</span></i> Office: 423 Main<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Sultan, WA 98294<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Phone: 206 367 5000; fax: 206 367 4005<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Email: <a href="mailto:roger@law-hawks.com">roger@law-hawks.com</a>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Web site: <a href="http://www.hawkeslawfirm.com/">www.hawkeslawfirm.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="112" height="160" style="width:1.1666in;height:1.6666in" id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D76449.C66BC220"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com <wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Stacey Romberg<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 18, 2021 1:12 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Off Topic: Accepting Credit Card Payments<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I completely concur with Heather re: Law Pay. And please see WSBA Advisory Opinion 2214 re: whether credit card transaction fees may be charged to a client.<o:p></o:p></p>
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<span style="font-size:10.0pt"><img border="0" width="72" height="108" style="width:.75in;height:1.125in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image002.png@01D76449.C66BC220"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Stacey L. Romberg</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">, Attorney at Law<br>
10115 Greenwood Avenue N., PMB #275<br>
Seattle, Washington 98133<br>
Telephone: 206-784-5305<br>
Facsimile: 206-789-8103<br>
E-mail: </span><a href="mailto:info@staceyromberg.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:blue">info@staceyromberg.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><br>
Web site: </span><a href="http://www.staceyromberg.com/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:blue">www.staceyromberg.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Practice concentrated on estate planning, probate and business law.<br>
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 9:00 - 5:00. In-person appointments scheduled: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/StaceyRombergAttorneyatLaw"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="48" height="48" style="width:.5in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image003.png@01D76449.C66BC220"></span></a>
<a href="https://twitter.com/StaceyRomberg"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="48" height="48" style="width:.5in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image004.png@01D76449.C66BC220"></span></a>
<a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/staceyromberg"><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="48" height="48" style="width:.5in;height:.5in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image005.png@01D76449.C66BC220"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">NOTICE<br>
The contents of this message and any attachments may be protected by the attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine or other applicable protections. If you are not the intended recipient or have received this message in error, please notify the sender
and promptly delete the message. Thank you for your assistance.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">
wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Heather de Vrieze<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 18, 2021 12:52 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [WSBAPT] Off Topic: Accepting Credit Card Payments<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Not sure about passing the processing cost on to clients, but we accept credit cards and find LawPay to be the best platform around. They aren’t the cheapest, but I have found their customer service to be
amazing, their ability to receive payments into our operating account or IOLTA (taking all fees out of the operating account), without needing two separate customer accounts.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Heather<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Vladimir Script";color:#1F497D">Heather S. de Vrieze</span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;color:#1F497D"><br>
</span></b><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D">Attorney-at-Law<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D"><img border="0" width="189" height="105" style="width:1.9652in;height:1.0972in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D76449.C66BC220"></span></i><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Garamond",serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">3909 California Avenue SW<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">Seattle, WA 98116-3705
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">(206)938-5500
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:heatherd@westseattlelaw.com"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">heatherd@westseattlelaw.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.westseattlelaw.com/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">www.westseattlelaw.com</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Nyala;color:#44524E">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#002E8A">Click here to connect with de Vrieze | Carney on Facebook:
</span><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span></b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DeVriezeCarney"><b><span style="color:blue;text-decoration:none"><img border="0" width="72" height="21" style="width:.75in;height:.2222in" id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image007.png@01D76449.C66BC220" alt="FB Logo"></span></b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Nyala;color:#C00000">For the latest information regarding firm operations and precautions in light of the Coronavirus please visit our firm’s website:</span><span style="font-family:Nyala;color:red">
</span><a href="http://www.westseattlelaw.com/"><span style="font-family:Nyala;color:blue">www.WestSeattleLaw.com</span></a><span style="font-family:Nyala;color:#C00000">.</span><span style="font-family:Nyala;color:red"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#7030A0"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;color:#A6A6A6">CONFIDENTIAL & PRIVILEGED. This e-mail message may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately
and delete all copies of this e-mail message and any attachment.</span><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Cambria",serif;color:blue"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">
wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a> <<a href="mailto:wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Elizabeth Bateman<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, June 18, 2021 12:30 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> WSBA Probate & Trust Listserv <<a href="mailto:wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com">wsbapt@lists.wsbarppt.com</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBAPT] Off Topic: Accepting Credit Card Payments<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Those of you with small firms, do you accept payment by credit card? Are you willing to share your process? Is there a platform you recommend? Has anyone done the research into whether it’s legal/ethical to pass a processing fee on to
the client who chooses to pay with a card? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for your insight! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Elizabeth G. Bateman
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Associate Attorney
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Admitted in Washington and Minnesota
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Copperplate Gothic Light",sans-serif;color:#2F5496">Bateman Law Group, PLLC
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">999 Third Ave., Suite 2525<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Seattle, WA 98104
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Office: (206) 224-0900<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Cell: (425) 444-9946<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Website: </span>
<a href="http://www.batemanlawgroup.com/"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">www.batemanlawgroup.com</span></a><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;background:white">This email is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC Sections 2510-2521 and is legally privileged. This information is
confidential and is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited.
If you think that you have received this email message in error, please notify the sender via email or by telephone at (206) 224-0900.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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