Solicitation of "Quickie" Divorces

98 N.J.L.J. 568
June 26, 1975
 

OPINION 15

Solicitation of "Quickie" Divorces

The Committee has received several complaints from lawyers in this State arising out of their receipt of identical solicitation letters from a lawyer in the Dominican Republic offering the services of that lawyer in obtaining "quickie" divorces in the Dominican Republic for the New Jersey lawyers' clients.
The Committee is of the opinion that in the case of such lawyer-to-lawyer solicitation there is no question presented of unauthorized practice of law in this State. It may be that under the particular circumstances of the solicitation the Dominican Republic lawyer may be acting in violation of professional ethics or the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Law but, if so, that is not a subject matter within the jurisdiction of this Committee.
However, the Committee wishes to distinguish from the foregoing any instance where any solicitation or advertisement as to "quickie" foreign divorces is made to the general public of this State, whether by the foreign lawyer directly or by any person, firm, agent or entity working in this State in concert with the foreign lawyer. The Committee is of the opinion that persons who are not New Jersey attorneys are engaged in the unauthorized practice of law in this state by working here in concert with the foreign lawyers in the promotion of "quickie" divorces in foreign countries, whether through the sale of travel packages, divorce kits or otherwise.