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.