Ethics Opinions

Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility – Formal Opinion 10-457 Topic: Lawyer Websites “Websites have become a common means by which lawyers communicate with the public. Lawyers must not include misleading information on websites, must be mindful of the expectations created by the website, and must carefully manage inquiries invited through the website. Websites that […]

Topic: Using Stock Photographs in Advertising From the Opinion “Opinion rules that a dramatization disclaimer is not required when using a stock photograph in an advertisement so long as, in the context of the advertisement, the stock photograph is not materially misleading.” The full text can be found at: http://www.ncbar…

Topic: Information on Verdicts, Settlements, and Memberships on a Lawyers’ Website From the Opinion “Opinion rules that a website may include a case summary sectionshowcasing successful verdicts and settlements if the section contains factually accurate information accompanied by an appropriate disclaimer and that any reference on the website to membership in an organization with a self-laudatory name […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Topic: Lawyers Referrals of Clients Digest of the Committee: E-mails to other lawyers requesting referrals of clients are not ‘solicitations’ regulated by Rule 7.3. However, the e-mails must comply with Rules 7.4 and 8.4(c). Rules: New York Rules of Professional Conduct 1.0(a), 1.5(g), 7.1, 7.3, 7.3(b), 7.4, 8.4(c) The full text is […]

Opinion No. 352 of the District of Columbia Bar’s Legal Ethics Committee Topic: “Professional Responsibility Duties for Temporary Contract Lawyers and the Firms that Hire Them” Committee’s Summary: “The imputation of a temporary contract lawyer’s individual conflicts to a hiring firm under D.C. Rule 1.10 depends on the nature and extent of the lawyer’s relationship […]

Professional Ethics Committee for the State Bar of Texas Topic: “Is it permissible under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct for three law firms with different names to advertise cooperatively using the name of one of the law firms followed by the word ‘Group’?”   Even though Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Rule […]

Topic: Lawyers’ Advertising on a Publication and its Website From the Opinion “Opinion rules a lawyer may advertise the lawyer’s inclusion in the list of lawyers in North Carolina Super Lawyers and other similar publications and may advertise in such publications subject to certain conditions.” The full text can be found at: http://www.ncbar…

Opinion No. 342 of the District of Columbia Bar’s Legal Ethics Committee Topic: Internet-Based Lawyer Referral Services Digest of the Committee: Lawyers may participate in both not-for-profit and for-profit lawyer Internet-based referral services where the services require a flat fee for participation, a flat fee for transmitting the lawyer’s name to a potential client, and/or […]

State Bar Association Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct Topic: Internet; Referral Services Digest of the Commitee: An online service that matches prospective clients with potential lawyers based on the appropriate geographic and practice areas, makes representations about the qualifications of its member lawyers, and provides a monetary satisfaction guarantee, is a “lawyer referral […]

Committee on Professional Ethics Explains: Opinion No. 779 (2004) Topic: Advertising and solicitation; internet website directory Digest of the Committee: “Lawyer may not participate in website that charges lawyer a fee to provide information about potential clients whom lawyer will then contact, where the website purports to analyze the prospective client’s problem and selects which […]