Under Rule 7.6, what is prohibited to obtain a government legal engagement?

Under Rule 7.6, what is prohibited to obtain a government legal engagement?

• A. The lawyer or firm making or soliciting political contributions for the purpose of obtaining or being considered for that engagement.
• B. Accepting any political contributions from any source.
• C. Accepting a government engagement if the lawyer is currently in private practice.
• D. Using a private email list for fundraising.

Answer: (A)

Rule 7.6 targets influence over government engagements through political contributions. It bars a lawyer or law firm from making or soliciting political contributions with the purpose of obtaining or being considered for a government legal engagement. That specific focus—contributions aimed at securing or influencing inclusion in a government contract or appointment—is what this rule prohibits. The idea is to prevent money from shaping who gets hired to provide government legal services, preserving fairness and independence in the selection process. This is why the described conduct is the best answer: it captures both making and soliciting contributions and ties them directly to the goal of obtaining or being considered for a government engagement. The other scenarios don’t fit because they either describe activities not tied to how a government engagement is obtained (like simply accepting contributions from any source) or involve circumstances that aren’t prohibited by this rule (such as taking on a government engagement while in private practice, which can be permissible under other rules). Using a private email list for fundraising also falls outside the scope of this rule, which focuses specifically on contributions connected to obtaining a government engagement.

Rule 7.6 targets influence over government engagements through political contributions. It bars a lawyer or law firm from making or soliciting political contributions with the purpose of obtaining or being considered for a government legal engagement. That specific focus—contributions aimed at securing or influencing inclusion in a government contract or appointment—is what this rule prohibits. The idea is to prevent money from shaping who gets hired to provide government legal services, preserving fairness and independence in the selection process.

This is why the described conduct is the best answer: it captures both making and soliciting contributions and ties them directly to the goal of obtaining or being considered for a government engagement. The other scenarios don’t fit because they either describe activities not tied to how a government engagement is obtained (like simply accepting contributions from any source) or involve circumstances that aren’t prohibited by this rule (such as taking on a government engagement while in private practice, which can be permissible under other rules). Using a private email list for fundraising also falls outside the scope of this rule, which focuses specifically on contributions connected to obtaining a government engagement.