One of Louisiana’s largest lawyer advertisers, New Orleans attorney Morris Bart joined forces with Lafayette attorney William Gee and special interest group Public Citizen Inc to sue the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board in response to the State’s Supreme Court new rules to restrict attorney advertising in the State of Louisiana.
 

Public Citizen Inc., is a consumer rights advocacy organization that feels the right of consumers right to choose and be informed are being impeded. The petition against the board was filed last Tuesday in order to reverse the decision tightening the lawyer advertising rules.

The lawyer advertising rules are to take effect this December but the rules were ok’d back in July of this year. The attorney advertising rule changes were designed to clean up the content and forms of lawyer advertising.

One of the major rule changes includes the forbidding of “promising results.” All forms of advertising will also have to be submitted to the bar association committee for review. This review of the lawyer advertisements is meant to clean up some of the offense legal ads to protect the integrity of the legal practice.  Other issues include using actors, testimonials and re-enactments.

The lawsuit claims that the new lawyer advertising bar rules will violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

The other issues with the lawyer advertising rules is that it may go further. There is talk about not allowing law firms to use logos or slogans. Morris Bart, a personal injury lawyer in New Orleans, has built his law firm’s brand by using  slogans such as, “We can get you paid. One click, That’s it” on his website.

Well, if there is a will there is a way.

James