Under ethics rules, a lawyer can't use his personal money to help a client.

Quote Originally Posted by DGUtley View Post
Yes, though I'm not sure what a "lie by omission" is in this context. Lawyers make statements all the time that are incomplete, evasive, elastic, stop short, contain half truths etc. They aren't lies. Mr. Cohen wasn't under oath. He had no ethical obligation to be fully truthful or complete. My ethical question arises out of paying personal money (if he did so) and then 'making it up' through a higher rate or some other arrangement (if that's what happened).