Banking Law

Once more, unfortunately, it's time to repost this, from three years ago:

It also states in my Disclaimer that "[n]othing on this blog is intended to be a solicitation of, or the provision of, legal advice, nor to create an attorney-client relationship with me or my law firm. You should seek professional legal counsel authorized to practice law in your jurisdiction before acting on any information contained on this blog." When I say that, I mean it.

Attorneys are knowledge sellers. That's what we do. You need legal advice? Don't ask me as the author of this blog to give it to you unless you and my law firm have an attorney-client relationship. If we do, and you're a client, expect me to charge you for it. If you're a reader who's not a client, don't send me an e-mail with a question such as, "Do you know a good free source where I can find the laws of these 23 states on the topic of whether or a not a bank chartered under the laws of Y state needs to be licensed in those states to do Z"? No, I don't. Hire an attorney to render that advice and pay him or her to render it. Also, if you're a bank's employee, I won't give you a "sample form" of an agreement so you don't have to pay your bank's regular attorney to draft it. You'll pay a garage mechanic to fix your car, or a restaurant to cook and serve you a burger, but paying for legal advice somehow sticks in your craw? Amazing.

I do provide pro bono services, selectively, for those who are unable to pay or who've taken a vow of poverty, like nuns. So, unless you're a Sister of the Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood, odds are you'll have to pay me for my advice. For those whose upper lip curls into an Elvis-like sneer at the mere mention of religion, let me put it to you in secular terms you'll understand: I may be a prostitute, but I'm not a whore.

As to those who say that they're just asking me a "quick question," I have to respond "what's that got to do with anything?" It's not the length of the question that's important, it's the expertise required to answer it.