Ethics Committee Advisory Opinion #1992‑93/6
Advertising/Solicitation: Distribution of Business Cards
February 10, 1993
ANNOTATION:
A lawyer who posts business cards in an area where the cards might be seen by persons not known to need legal services of the kind provided by the lawyer but who might find such services useful does not thereby engage in prohibited solicitation. (Rule 7.3(c))
A lawyer’s business cards posted in a public area must not make false or misleading statements about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services. (Rule 7.1)
A lawyer is not prohibited from posting business cards in a public area simply because those cards list areas in which the lawyer practices, provided that descriptions of those areas are accurate, straightforward, truthful and dignified, and provided the cards do not state or imply that the lawyer is a specialist. (Rule 7.4)
QUESTIONS:
- May an attorney post or place a supply of business cards, indicating a particular field of practice, at locations where people who may need the specified legal services will see the cards?
- May the business cards indicate fields of practice?