Jurisdiction

The Panel shall accept requests from any member of the Rhode Island Bar in good standing concerning his or her prospective conduct as an attorney under the Rules of Professional Conduct as set forth in Article V of the Supreme Court Rules. The Panel may decline to render an advisory opinion if any of the following circum- stances exist: (a) The request seeks an opinion about the conduct of a lawyer other than the inquirer. (b) The request concerns a hypothetical situation and does not arise from a factual situation faced by the inquirer. (c) The request seeks an opinion concerning conduct not governed by the Rules of Professional Conduct. (d) The request requires a determination to be made concerning past conduct or is based on facts which are the subject of a complaint pending before the Disciplinary Board of the state Supreme Court. (e) The request contains insufficient information on which the Panel can make a judgment. (f) The request is not in the form required by Rule 3 hereof. (g) The opinion would require resolution of questions concerning substantive law outside the area of legal ethics and discipline. (h) The request concerns a matter that is pending in litigation and that is within the jurisdiction of a court or other tribunal. (As amended by the court February 16, 2007, eff. April 15, 2007.)