Can a lawyer date a former client?

Question:

Can an attorney become personally involved with a former client? If so, is there a specific timeline that needs to be met to fulfill an ethical code? Are there any punishments from the bar for such behavior?

Answer:

It is hard to discern whether this situation affects you or yours -- or whether you are merely checking the accuracy of this week's plot from The Practice. But the answer is that as long as the client is a former client, the relationship is on the legal and ethical up-and-up. What is important is that there is no existing attorney-client relationship.