The Louisiana Supreme Court has released new amendments to Louisiana Rule of Professional Conduct 7, regarding lawyer advertising. Recall that the initial rules changes were released last year, and then the changes’ effective date was twice delayed to October 1, 2009.
Yesterday, the Court released the further rule changes, stating that the new rules “balance the right of lawyers to truthfully advertise legal services with the need to improve the existing rules in order to preserve the integrity of the legal profession, to protect the public from unethical and potentially misleading forms of lawyer advertising, and to prevent erosion of the public’s confidence and trust in the judicial system.”
Take a look at the rules and comment below on how they will or will not affect the way you promote and conduct your practice.
One Comment
Again these revisions fall short of expectations. They again avoid significant changes to the e-media portions of the rules.
I am completely shocked at this:
“7. Rule 7.6(d) is hereby amended to read as follows:
(d) Advertisements. All computer-accessed communications
concerning a lawyer’s or law firm’s services, other than those subject to subdivisions (b) and (c) of this Rule, are subject to the requirements of Rule 7.2 when a significant motive for the lawyer’s doing so is the lawyer’s pecuniary gain;”
the last part is the most discretionary sentence I have ever read. In the end, can’t you equate almost every communication online as a means of self-promotion, and therefore pecuniary gain.
Still not good.