Legal Marketing & Consulting

Restriction on judicial quotes in lawyer ads violates First Amendment, 3rd Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has found a lawyer’s free speech rights were violated by a New Jersey ethics rule that barred lawyers from using judicial quotes in attorney advertising unless the full opinion is used. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) on Monday in favor of…

Aug 12, 2014 1:08 PM CDT

Are old ethics rules stifling innovations in legal services delivery and marketing?

The legal services delivery environment is changing with supersonic speed as technology brings new innovations. But these new methods of delivering and marketing legal services still must pass muster under ethics rules that have been in effect for years if not longer. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but…

Aug 8, 2014 10:45 PM CDT

Gun owners are looking to join prepaid legal defense plans

Gun owners take pride in their firearms and in the accoutrements needed to keep their weapon and carry it safely—ammunition, cleaning kits, a gun safe. Now a growing number of gun owners are brandishing another must-have accessory: an attorney. Following a string of high-profile gun incidents, there’s a renewed awareness…

Aug 1, 2014 9:09 AM CDT

Brewery sues DUI law firm, says look-alike ‘Sessions Law’ mark confuses ‘Session Lager’ customers

An Oregon craft brewery has sued a Georgia law firm for trademark infringement, contending that a look-alike “Sessions Law” mark is confusing to those familiar with its own “Session Lager.” Filed last week in federal court in Portland, the suit (PDF) by Full Sail Brewing Company says the Atlanta-based Sessions…

Jul 14, 2014 9:55 PM CDT

People look to Yelp to find lawyers online, survey says | Fallout over Facebook mood study?

Larry Bodine noted a survey of 3,465 people finding that 58 percent of those seeking lawyers make their first stop at business review site Yelp. And this is significant considering three out of four consumers seeking lawyers use online resources at some point in the process, according to a 2012…

Jul 11, 2014 1:30 PM CDT

Solo claims two law firms stole his website content, harming his Google search-result position

A solo practitioner from New Jersey claims in a lawsuit that content from his website ended up on the websites of two other law firms, harming his position in Google search results. The suit by lawyer Thomas Blauvelt says the purloined website information included computer code and Blauvelt’s own name,…

Jul 2, 2014 10:44 AM CDT

Soft terms turned to solid tips at Avvo’s Lawyernomics 2014

Talk of image, storytelling, passion and romance translated to the hard-edged business of branding, marketing, commitment and client service at Lawyernomics 2014. The event, sponsored by legal service provider Avvo, brought about 300 lawyers to Las Vegas in April to learn about ways to create a base of loyal clients…

Jul 1, 2014 8:10 AM CDT

Redefine networking as ‘making friends,’ solo writes | The fine line between ‘wise’ and ‘cranky’

New York City solo Dwayne Allen Thomas writes at My Shingle that he prefers to define networking as “making friends” rather than cultivating advantageous contacts. “I like the ‘make friends’ approach because I think it’s easier—especially since people can spot both fake smiles and fake laughter,” Thomas wrote. “This was…

Jun 20, 2014 1:30 PM CDT

Wachtell and Cravath top list of 100 most prestigious law firms, Vault survey says

Well-known BigLaw firms in the Big Apple retain their cachet among nearly 17,000 associates asked to rate the most prestigious law firms in the country. an annual Vault survey found. Once again, Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz topped the list, closely followed by Cravath Swaine & Moore, Wachtell has retained…

Jun 18, 2014 8:50 PM CDT

Why Willkie Farr lawyers gave up their pricey suits for six months

Lawyers at Willkie Farr & Gallagher decided to dress the part when they advised Men’s Wearhouse on its recent agreement to buy Jos. A. Bank. The lawyers “shrugged off Armani and Zegna in favor of $600 suits by Joseph Abboud—a once-prestigious brand now owned by Men’s Wearhouse,” the Wall Street…

Jun 16, 2014 10:45 AM CDT

ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform

Life in a women’s prison definitely has its downside in a popular Netflix show, Orange is the New Black. But the reality is much worse, contend advocates for prison reform. Using the show as a springboard, they have launched a social media campaign this week, at the outset of the…

Jun 11, 2014 9:25 PM CDT

Law firm apologizes to truckers for ‘serial killer’ ad

A Texas law firm is apologizing for an ad in Maxim magazine that created such an outcry among truckers that truck stops pulled the publication from their shelves. The full-page ad for San Antonio law firm Villarreal & Begum showed a picture of a truck cab beneath the words “serial…

Jun 9, 2014 10:45 AM CDT

Internet ad for ‘Jacksonville’s best auto injury attorney’ brings reprimand

Updated: A North Carolina lawyer has been reprimanded partly for an Internet ad calling her “Jacksonville’s best auto injury attorney.” Stephanie Villaver was reprimanded in a February opinion (PDF) noted this week on the Legal Profession Blog and in the most recent edition of the North Carolina State Bar Journal.…

Jun 5, 2014 1:20 PM CDT

Was motorcycle trip a rainmaking event? Appeals court says no, denies workers comp to injured lawyer

A Wisconsin lawyer who claimed his trip to a Harley-Davidson rally was a rainmaking event can’t collect workers comp for the motorcycle accident en route that paralyzed him, a state appeals court says. The Wisconsin Court of Appeals found that Jacob Westerhof’s trip was personal in nature and he wasn’t…

Jun 2, 2014 10:45 AM CDT

Trust accounts hike law practice costs, blogger says | Are law firm homepage views really declining?

Using trust accounts to store advance fees from clients is a burden on practitioners and less of a protection for clients than if they had paid by credit card, Washington, D.C., solo Carolyn Elefant writes at My Shingle. “Credit cards and digital payments offer better protection against ne’er do well…

May 30, 2014 1:30 PM CDT