About Multidisciplinary Practice

Why did you choose to have a multidisciplinary practice?

In a word, synergy. We believe that we can provide better client service as a multidisciplinary practice, because our services complement each other. For most people, legal problems and issues do not arise in a vacuum – there are usually financial and psychological dimensions that also must be addressed. We try to look at cases in a more three-dimensional way than traditional law firms do.

If multidisciplinary practice is such a good idea, why aren't more people doing it?

During the last ten years, the rules of ethics for lawyers regarding multidisciplinary practice have been the focus of considerable discussion. There have been efforts in the American Bar Association and in state bar associations to relax the rules that prohibit non-lawyer ownership of law firms and the sharing of legal fees with non-lawyers. Those efforts have largely failed, and in the meantime, most lawyers have assumed that they could not practice in close affiliation with non-lawyers. The Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct for lawyers and the ABA Model Code for Professional Conduct both permit the space-sharing arrangements that BLC has with its affiliate members, because those arrangements do not involve fee-sharing with non-lawyers or non-lawyer governance of BLC's attorneys.

What ethical rules regulate professionals who wish to practice with people in other professions?

In addition to the two rules cited above, the ethical codes governing attorneys, mediators, psychologists, clinical social workers, and CPAs require the protection of client confidentiality and avoiding conflicts of interest. At BLC, we protect client confidentiality by maintaining filing and information systems for BLC clients that are separate and apart from those of our affiliates. When we consult with each other about cases, we avoid the disclosure of confidential information unless we have express permission from the client in advance to discuss the matter with another professional in our office. In addition, BLC uses a screening process to avoid conflicts of interest.

Is there any downside to using a multidisciplinary firm?

Not every client wants or needs a team-based approach. For example, many of BLC's clients already have financial planners or tax specialists. There are also certain kinds of cases for which a team-based approach is not appropriate. (For example, if a BLC attorney is representing an individual in a divorce, and the parties wish to work with a jointly-retained counselor to advise them on child-related issues, neither Richard Wolman or Vicki Shemin would be an appropriate choice because they might be viewed as aligned with BLC's client. BLC could, however, use Richard or Vicki in such a case if BLC was providing mediation services to the couple instead of legal representation to just one of them.)