1996-07
Alabama Rules of Professional conduct apply to lawyer advertising on the Internet and private on-liner services
Alabama Rules of Professional conduct apply to lawyer advertising on the Internet and private on-liner services
QUESTION:
Do the Alabama Rules of Professional Conduct apply to
lawyer
advertising on the Internet or private on-line services?
ANSWER:
The number of options available for disseminating lawyer
advertising has grown rapidly and will continue to grow
over
time. However, the advertising and solicitation rules found
within the Rules of Professional Conduct focus on content
of advertising and not on the means used to advertise. It
is the Disciplinary Commission’s opinion that any
information made available to the public about a lawyer
or a lawyer’s services on the Internet or private on-line
services is subject to regulation under the rules on
advertising and solicitation. It makes no difference
whether
it is done through a web page, a bulletin board, or via
unsolicited electronic mail. Any advertising or promotional
activity transmitted through the use of a computer is
subject to regulation like any other form of lawyer
advertising.