In re Barnes

William Y. Barnes has petitioned this Court for a three-year suspension of his right to practice law in this State. Barnes admits that he paid a paralegal and the paralegal’s business for the referral of cases and clients and thus violated Standards 13 and 26 of Bar Rule 4-102 (d). Standard 13 prohibits a lawyer from compensating a person or organization to recommend or secure employment by a client or as a reward for a recommendation. Standard 26 prohibits a lawyer or a law firm from sharing legal fees with a non-lawyer. The State Bar of Georgia does not oppose Barnes’ petition, and the…