Section 17-605 - Prohibited payments to lawyers; soliciting referral business. - Maryland Statutes

§ 17-605. Prohibited payments to lawyers; soliciting referral business.
 

(a)  In general.-  

(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, a real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson may not pay or offer to pay a commission to a lawyer simply for the referral of a person as a possible party to a residential real estate transaction. 

(2) A real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson may not solicit referral business from lawyers by a mass solicitation that offers to pay fees or commissions to the lawyers. 

(b)  Licensees exempted.- Subsection (a)(1) of this section does not apply to payments or offers of payments to lawyers who hold a real estate broker license under this title or are otherwise entitled to a commission. 

(c)  Scope of prohibitions.- Other than the commissions expressly prohibited, subsection (a) of this section does not prohibit the payment or the offer of a payment of a commission by a real estate broker, an associate real estate broker, or a real estate salesperson to a lawyer for any service that relates to a real estate transaction. 
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 56A, § 4-605; 1989, ch. 3, § 1; 1994, ch. 3, § 13.]