Georgia Bar Considers Ethical Guidelines for Attorneys Using Third-Party Vendors

The State Bar of Georgia is considering new ethical guidelines that could have significant implications for attorneys utilizing third-party vendors in their practice. According to a proposed ethics opinion, lawyers may find themselves responsible for any misconduct by third-party services they employ when acquiring documents from nonparties, such as medical records or billing information. These suggested guardrails are critical as lawyers increasingly rely on external vendors to streamline various aspects of case management.