Marketing is an integral part of the private practice of law. But where is the line between permissible advertising tactics and impermissible solicitation? Often it is hard to find guidance to tell you on which side of that line your marketing strategies fall. The recent ABA Opinion 501 
may help. It sets forth several hypotheticals
No DQ for soliciting, representing client’s former employees at depo says CA district court
Defense counsel did not act beyond the scope of their pro hac vice admission by contacting some of their client’s former employees and offering to represent them at their depositions, said a California district court last week, turning back plaintiffs’ motion to disqualify the Ohio lawyers. In its opinion the court analyzed both pro hac
Better Call Saul: Legal ethics you can use
We’ve written before about Better Call Saul and its legal ethics lessons. Now, as we all WFH (work from home, that is), here comes a light-hearted series featuring Rhea Seehorn’s character, Kim Wexler, discussing various legal ethics issues. You can watch the first installment on YouTube here. It’s a fun five minutes on
ABA proposes changes to lawyer ad rules; but referral-fee issue as to Avvo and others remains open
The ABA is proposing changes to the Model Rules on lawyer advertising, modestly streamlining them and trying to re-establish their relevance to the way lawyers and clients interact in the digital age. The proposed amendments and their supporting memo fail to make any express adjustment for the elephant in the room — on-line referral services
Looking for creative legal marketing? Try doughnuts.
Law firm-branded coffee mugs; golf umbrellas with the firm logo; managing-partner bobble-head dolls — giving away law firm tchotchkes like these is often part of a firm’s marketing program. (Well, maybe not the bobble-heads; I made that one up.)
But how about delivering doughnuts to banks and real estate agents to encourage them to refer