Can lawyers get gifts or not?

Indiana, USA.

I had an employment lawyer help me out twice. He never once asked for money. I asked him upfront about his fees, and he told me what they were, but after helping me, he never charged me. The second time I asked for help, I offered to pay him for his time, but he said no payment was needed.

This doesn’t sit right with me. He helped me a lot during tough times, and I don’t want him to feel taken advantage of. I’d be happy to pay his hourly rate if I had the chance.

I thought about sending a check in the mail. Would he accept it? Or maybe a gift card matching his fee? What do you think?

A gift card to a nice restaurant might be a good idea. Something that covers dinner and drinks for two would be thoughtful.

I wouldn’t worry about a check. A thank-you note, a referral, or even a good review online can mean a lot.

Honestly, lawyers sometimes give free advice to see if a case has potential for litigation or settlements. Maybe that’s why he didn’t charge.

@Noel
Thanks for your input. He did much more than just give advice. He spent over a week emailing my former employer. I feel like he went out of his way for me, and I wish I had a chance to pay him.

You’re asking us to guess what’s in his head. We can’t know that.

If you’re worried about taxes, gifts under the exclusion limit shouldn’t require filing anything extra. But if it’s a large amount, there might be forms involved.

@Ray
Sorry if my question sounded off. I just wanted ideas on how to show appreciation. I’m grateful he didn’t treat me the way you just did.

Ash said:
@Ray
Sorry if my question sounded off. I just wanted ideas on how to show appreciation. I’m grateful he didn’t treat me the way you just did.

> I thought of maybe sending a check. Would he accept it?

@Ray
Yes, I meant legally since it would be marked as a gift. I thought the title ‘Can lawyers get gifts?’ explained that.

Ash said:
@Ray
Yes, I meant legally since it would be marked as a gift. I thought the title ‘Can lawyers get gifts?’ explained that.

Legally, anyone can get gifts unless there’s something specific like ethics rules or laws against certain types of payments (e.g., bribery laws).