HARRISBURG (Oct. 19, 1999) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association�s Commission on Multidisciplinary Practice and Related Trends Affecting the Profession will hold a series of public hearings across the state in early November on the subject of the multidisciplinary practice (MDP) of the law.

An MDP is a practice that offers legal services as well as other professional services such as accounting, counseling, and financial advice. The advent of MDPs has raised a host of questions in the legal community as to how it would affect consumers.

�This practice of �one-stop shopping� for legal and professional services could have some serious ramifications for the consumer public, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association would like to hear about any public concerns,� said PBA President Louis N. Teti of Downingtown.

The MDP hearings are scheduled as follows:

Nov. 5; 9 -11:30 a.m.; Montgomery Bar Association, 100 W. Airy St., Norristown

Nov. 8; 1 - 3:30 p.m.; Allegheny County Bar Association, 400 Koppers Building, 436 Seventh St., Pittsburgh

Nov. 9; 9 - 11:30 a.m.; Erie County Bar Association, 302 W. 9th St., Erie

Nov. 10; 9 - 11:30 a.m.; State College Borough Council Room, 118 S. Fraser St., State College

Nov. 10; 1 - 3:30 p.m.; Lackawanna Bar Association, 338 N. Washington Ave., Third Floor, Scranton

Nov. 10; 7 - 8 p.m.; Northampton County Bar Association, Holiday Inn East, Bethlehem

Nov. 11; 1-3:30 p.m.; Pennsylvania Bar Association, 100 South St., Harrisburg

Nov. 12; 1-3:30 p.m.; Philadelphia Bar Association, 1101 Market St., 11th Floor, Philadelphia

Commission Co-Chairs Timothy Carson of Philadelphia and Bruno Muscatello of Butler will preside over the hearings. Testimony will be in increments of 15 minutes, and citizens who are interested in testifying are advised to submit written testimony no later than Nov. 1 to Louann Bell, Commission staff liaison, at PBA Headquarters, P.O. Box 186, Harrisburg PA 17108-0186.

The PBA is sponsoring the hearings to gather public opinion on the subject before the lawyers� professional association takes a position on an American Bar Association proposal in favor of altering some of the rules governing lawyers� business practices to accommodate MDPs.