§ 11-27-1. “Hold himself or herself out” and “person” defined. (a) “Hold himself or herself out” as used in this chapter includes the following: the assumption, use, or advertisement of the title of lawyer, attorney, attorney at law, counselor, counselor at law, solicitor, or any term or terms conveying the idea that the person in […]
§ 11-27-10. Agreement or offer to furnish legal services. No person or persons, except members of the bar, either in his, her or their own name or names or under any firm or trade name, shall furnish or agree to furnish legal advice, service or counsel, nor furnish or agree to furnish an attorney at […]
§ 11-27-11. Practices permitted to persons not members of bar. Nothing in §§ 11-27-5 — 11-27-11 shall be construed to limit or prevent: (1) Clerks of court and recorders of deeds from the drafting of any legal instruments that may be necessary for the proper conduct and discharge of their respective offices and duties. (2) […]
§ 11-27-12. Unauthorized holding out as qualified to practice law. No person, except a duly admitted member of the bar of this state, whose authority as a member to practice law is in full force and effect, shall assume to be an attorney or counselor at law or hold himself or herself out in any […]
§ 11-27-13. Visiting attorneys. The provisions of §§ 11-27-1, 11-27-2, and 11-27-5 — 11-27-14 shall not apply to visiting attorneys at law, duly authorized to practice law before the courts of record in another state, while temporarily in this state on legal business, or while permitted to conduct or argue any case in this state […]
§ 11-27-14. Penalties for violations. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon a first conviction, be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year, or fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), or both. Any firm, corporation, or other entity violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon […]
§ 11-27-15. [Superseded.]
§ 11-27-16. Practices permitted to corporations and associations. (a) Nothing in §§ 11-27-2 — 11-27-11 or §§ 11-27-16 — 11-27-18 shall be construed to limit or prevent: (1) Any corporation, or its officers or agents, lawfully engaged in the insuring of titles to real property from conducting its business, and the drawing of deeds, mortgages, […]
§ 11-27-17. Penalty for violations by corporation. Any corporation violating any of the provisions of §§ 11-27-3, 11-27-4, and 11-27-16 — 11-27-18 shall be fined not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000), and every officer, director, trustee, agent, or employee of any corporation or association who, directly or indirectly, engages in any of the acts prohibited […]
§ 11-27-18. Legal Aid Society — Powers of supreme court. Nothing in §§ 11-27-1 — 11-27-17 shall be deemed to apply to the Legal Aid Society of Rhode Island, or be construed in any way as an attempt to affect or as affecting the right of the supreme court to regulate and discipline members of […]
§ 11-27-19. Unauthorized practice of law committee — Powers and duties — Duties of attorney general. (a) There is established an unauthorized practice of law committee to be appointed by the supreme court consisting of any number that shall be determined by the supreme court. (b) It shall be the duty of the attorney general […]
§ 11-27-2. “Practice of law” defined. “Practice law” as used in this chapter means the doing of any act for another person usually done by attorneys at law in the course of their profession, and, without limiting the generality of the definitions in this section, includes the following: (1) The appearance or acting as the […]
§ 11-27-20. Repealed.
§ 11-27-3. Receipt of fees as practice of law. (a) Except as provided in subsection (b), any person, partnership, corporation, or association that receives any fee or any part of a fee for the services performed by an attorney at law shall be deemed to be practicing law contrary to the provisions of this chapter. […]
§ 11-27-4. Forwarding of claim not deemed practice of law. The sending of a claim of a nonresident by a nonresident collection agency to an attorney at law in this state, who is to act solely as agent of the creditor and who is not to be subject to the direction or control of the […]
§ 11-27-5. Practice restricted to members of bar. No person, except a duly admitted member of the bar of this state, whose authority as a member to practice law is in full force and effect, shall practice law in this state. History of Section.P.L. 1917, ch. 1494, § 1; G.L. 1923, ch. 401, § 45; […]
§ 11-27-6. Compensation of unqualified persons for legal services prohibited. No person, who is not a member of the bar under § 11-27-5, shall receive any pay or compensation, directly or indirectly, except any forwarding fee of an attorney at law of another state, for any services of any legal nature that are usually done […]
§ 11-27-7. Filling out and signing of process and communications — Business association with laymen. No attorney at law shall sell any writ of judicial process to any person, except to a member of the bar under § 11-27-5, nor shall he or she deliver any writ or judicial process to another person, and authorize […]
§ 11-27-8. Solicitation of business by agents prohibited. No person, partnership, corporation, or association shall act in any manner or in any capacity as an agent for an attorney at law in the solicitation or procurement of any law business, and every contract for professional services secured by an attorney at law through the services […]
§ 11-27-9. Restriction on acts of insurance claim adjusters. No insurance claim adjuster or claim agent of any insurance company or public utility corporation shall advise any claimant, who has suffered injury or damage to his or her person or property, or his or her parent, guardian, next friend or other personal representative in respect […]
