2011-28 (Emergency Staff Opinion issued October 28, 2011)
Charitable Activities; Fundraising; Rule 3.7
 
Issue: May a Judicial Official provide a letter of support to a law-related organization for the organization to use in soliciting donations?
 
Response: The Judicial Official was advised that (1) Rule 3.7(a)(2) permits a Judicial Official to solicit contributions for an organization concerned with the law, the legal system or the administration of justice, but only from members of the Judicial Official’s family (as that term is defined in the Code) or from Judicial Officials over whom the soliciting Judicial Official does not exercise supervisory or appellate authority, and (2) Rule 3.7(a)(5) permits a Judicial Official to make recommendations to a public or private fund-granting organization or entity in connection with its programs and activities if the organization or entity is concerned with the law, the legal system or the administration of justice, however, Rule 3.7(a)(5) should be viewed as applying in the context of the Judicial Official serving on the Board of the fund-granting organization and the fund-granting organization (as opposed to the grant recipient) must be concerned with the law, the legal system or the administration of justice. Based upon the foregoing, the Judicial Official was advised not to provide the requested letter of support to be used for fund-raising purposes.