The Georgia defense bar is up in arms over a seemingly simple change to a State Bar of Georgia formal advisory opinion that provides guidance on opposing counsel contacting a company’s former employees.

The proposed new formal advisory opinion, 20-1, says plaintiffs attorneys may contact ex-employees of a company without first notifying or securing consent from the company’s lawyer. It also specifies disclosure rules for the lawyer contacting the ex-employee, in more detail than formal advisory opinion 94-3, which the proposed rule would replace.