Did you realize that your advertising/marketing materials that were in compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct on March 20, 2014, may have violated the rules as of March 21st? No? Then please take a little time to review the amended Rule 7.2 which was approved in an order issued by the Georgia Supreme Court on March 21, 2014. http://www.gabar.org/barrules/handbookdetail.cfm?what=rule&id=147
The changes to Rule 7.2 require additional disclosures for ads directed to potential clients in Georgia. Advertisements in all media must now include the name, telephone number and full office address of each lawyer or law firm who paid for the ad and takes full responsibility for it. If you use a referral service, you must ensure that the service discloses your office location, or registered bar address, when a referral is made.
If you will refer the majority of callers to other attorneys, you must disclose that fact and also comply with the provisions of Rule 7.3(c) regarding referral services. If you use a non-attorney spokesperson, portrayal of a lawyer by a non-lawyer, portrayal of a client by a non-client, or paid testimonials or endorsements, those must be disclosed.
If you advertise a fixed fee for specified legal services, you must have available to the public a written statement clearly describing the scope of each advertised service. Any ad that includes any representation resembling a legal pleading, notice, contract or other legal document must include a prominent disclosure that the document is an advertisement rather than a legal document.
If you placed ads before the changes became effective, you will have a reasonable time (which will vary based upon the type of ad) to come into compliance. For instance, billboards rented before the changes or ads in printed phonebooks generally cannot be immediately changed. However, renewals of all forms of advertising should be done in compliance with the amended Rule 7.2.
If you have questions about whether your ads comply with the amended Rule 7.2, you are welcome to call Tina Petrig at 404.527.8720.
Georgia Practice Advisor 