Originally presented at our MOSOLO Small Firm Conference, June 9-11, 2022
This updated program will provide attendees with a clear understanding of the trust account rules, address how to determine what goes in the trust account, review recent disciplinary cases, give guidance on how to keep client trust account records, provide resources on how to do a self-audit to check for compliance in your office, how to accept credit cards, how to handle flat fees, and more.
Speakers: Melinda Bentley, Legal Ethics Counsel, Jefferson City and Sam Phillips, Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel, Jefferson City
Moderator: Brian G. Ellsworth, Office of Legal Ethics Counsel and Supreme Court Advisory Committee, Jefferson City
| Trust Account Rules & Best Practices (11.9 MB) | Available after Purchase | ||
| MOLAP Information (210.1 KB) | Available after Purchase | ||
| Important Information for Attorneys Seeking Kansas Credit (98.3 KB) | Available after Purchase | ||
Melinda J. Bentley serves as Legal Ethics Counsel in Missouri where she provides oral and written informal advisory opinions to attorneys on issues related to the Missouri Rules of Professional Conduct. In that position, she also serves as administrator and counsel to the Advisory Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri. She began serving in that position in 2012. Prior to that she worked for the Illinois State Bar Association as Assistant Counsel from 2001-03, First Assistant Counsel from 2003-11, and Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs from 2009-11. She is a frequent speaker and author on professional responsibility matters. Ms. Bentley currently serves as a member of the Planning Committee for the American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Professional Responsibility’s National Conference on Professional Responsibility, the Planning Committee for The Missouri Bar Solo and Small Firm Conference, The Missouri Bar’s Special Committee on Remote Public Access to Case.net, and the National Organization of Bar Counsel’s Committees on Amicus, Website, Program, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She was a board member and officer of the National Organization of Bar Counsel from 2015-2020, including a term as President from 2018-2019, and formerly served on the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility (2020-2023), Editorial Board of the ABA/BNA Lawyers’ Manual on Professional Conduct as a member (2015-2016) and Chair (2016-2018), as well as a member of the ABA Center for Professional Responsibility Coordinating Council (2016-2018). She is licensed in both Missouri and Illinois, and is a member of The Missouri Bar, Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, National Organization of Bar Counsel, Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Cole County Bar Association, and Mid-Missouri Women Lawyers’ Association.
Sam Phillips is Deputy Chief Counsel for the Missouri Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel. Sam has served on the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Bar Counsel and was that Board’s liaison to the ABA’s Lawyer Competence Committee.
In addition to attorney discipline and private practice, he has served as Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and been the Executive Trust Officer for a regional bank.
He also chaired The Missouri Bar’s Law Practice Management Committee.
