Ethical Question

[Floogeldy]

I did some legal work for a VERY RICH client. He came by the office and paid me with a one thousand dollar bill. After he left, I discovered that he had actually handed me 2 one thousand dollar bills that were stuck together. So here is my ethical question:

Should I tell my law partner about the 2nd one thousand dollar bill?

B-)

[LynzM]

1. Damn...

I can't even imagine holding a $1000 bill!! :crazy:

Did you expect to get paid the whole $1000 in the first place, and would you have split that with your partner?

[Evergreen Emerald]

2. You failed ethics in asking the question

Silly, duplicate them and go shopping.

[auntAgonist]

3. yes.

And return the 2nd bill.

[Floogeldy]

8. Nice to see you post

You stay well now, ya hear?

B-)

[amazona]

4. forget the ethics

There is a practical problem. You can't cash the thousand dollar bill without providing documentation of where it came from. Might as well come clean with the client and tell him you found his "extra" thousand dollar bill.

In future do not accept thousand dollar bills unless you are a bank and can easily change them up with the federal reserve.

I knew a coin store selling an actual thousand dollar bill for $997 to get around the reporting requirement...which is technically illegal...but he wanted to pass on the provenance problem to someone else.

Sorry.

Don't ever allow anyone to pay you in high denomination casino chips either. A casino just seized a five thousand dollar chip a friend presented at the cage with no proof of provenance and Nevada Gaming Commission certified the casino's actions.


On Edit-- in case you are wondering, no, I didn't buy the $1,000 bill as I didn't think a $3 profit was sufficent recompense for the hassle and paperwork I would need to deposit it at my local bank.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[ltfranklin]

5. Don't forget...

to figure out a way to bill your rich client for your time in trying to figure out this ethical question he has imposed on you!

Remember, your time on DU can be billed as "Consultation with Experts".

[48pan]

6. Not funny... Give it back. /nt

[Floogeldy]

7. I was only kidding, folks

It was a take on an old lawyer's joke.

B-)