Ethical Issues When a Family Entity is Created

Mary F. Radford (professor of law, Georgia State University) has recently published her article entitled Ethical Issues in Representing Families in Family Limited Partnerships, 35 ACTEC J. 2 (Summer 2009).  The editor’s synopsis of the article follows:

This article discusses the complicated lawyer-client representation issues raised when a family entity (such as a limited partnership or LLC) is created. The article also addresses the issues, and material risks, associated with the multiple representation of the entity, the general partner(s) and the limited partner(s) even if such multiple representation might not be expected or intended (at least by the lawyer). Depending on state law, and the entity involved, some attorneys may be surprised to learn that the creation of the entity might force them in the future to withdraw from representing everyone in the family.