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California interim ethics opinion addresses when lawyer blogging is subject to regulation under Bar Rules

Hello everyone and welcome to this Ethics Alert which will discuss lawyer blogging and the interim opinion of the State Bar of California which addresses the topic of lawyer blogging and when lawyer blogs may be subject to regulation under the California Bar Rules and advertising statute.  The interim ethics opinion is The State Bar of California Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct Formal Opinion Interim No. 12-0006 and the opinion is here:  Cal Bar Opinion Interim No. 12-006- lawyer blogging.  The comment period on the interim opinion has expired; however, the opinion has not been finalized.

The interim opinion frames the issue: “Under what circumstances is ‘blogging’ by an attorney a ‘communication’ subject to the requirements and restrictions of the Rules of Professional Conduct and related provisions of the State Bar Act regulating attorney advertising?”

The interim opinion’s digest section states:

  1. Blogging by an attorney may be a communication subject to the requirements and restrictions of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act relating to lawyer advertising if the blog expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment directly through words of invitation or offer to provide legal services, or implicitly through its description of the type and character of legal services offered by the attorney, detailed descriptions of case results, or both. (emphasis supplied)
  1. A blog that is an integrated part of an attorney’s or law firm’s professional website will be a communication subject to the rules and statutes regulating attorney advertising to the same extent as the website of which it is a part.
  1. A stand-alone blog by an attorney, even if discussing legal topics within or outside the authoring attorney’s area of practice, is not a communication subject to the requirements and restrictions of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act relating to lawyer advertising unless the blog directly or implicitly expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment.
  1. A stand-alone blog by an attorney on a non-legal topic is not a communication subject to the rules and statutes regulating attorney advertising, and will not become subject thereto simply because the blog contains a link to the attorney or law firm’s professional website. However, extensive and/or detailed professional identification information announcing the attorney’s availability for professional employment will itself be a communication subject to the rules and statutes.

In the discussion section, the opinion recognizes that “(b)y its nature, blogging raises First Amendment free speech issues. Prohibited for most of the 20th Century, advertising by attorneys was found to be protected commercial speech by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bates v. State Bar of Arizona (1977) 433 U.S. 350 [97 S.Ct. 2691].  Bates provides that truthful attorney advertising cannot be absolutely prohibited, but may be subject to reasonable restrictions.”

The opinion then provides four examples of attorney blogs and analyzes each of the hypothetical blogs regarding the application of the California Bar Rules and the California advertising statute and concludes that:

“A blog by an attorney will not be considered a ‘communication’ subject to rule 1-400 or an “advertisement” subject to Business and Professions Code sections 6157, et seq., unless the blog expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment directly through words of invitation or offer to provide legal services, or implicitly, for example, through a detailed description of the attorney’s legal practice and successes in such a manner that the attorney’s availability for professional employment is evident.

A blog included on an attorney’s or law firm’s professional website is part of a ‘communication’ subject to the rules regulating attorney advertising to the same extent as the website of which it is a part.

A stand‐alone blog by an attorney on law‐related issues or developments within his or her practice area is not a ‘communication’ subject to the rules regulating attorney advertising unless it invites the reader to contact the attorney regarding the reader’s personal legal case, or otherwise expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment.

A stand-alone blog on law-related issues maintained by an attorney that is not part of the attorney’s professional website is not ‘communication’ subject to attorney advertising regulations unless the blog indicates the attorney’s availability for professional employment.

A non-legal blog by an attorney is not a ‘communication’ subject to the rules or statutes regulating attorney advertising, even if it includes a hyperlink to the attorney’s professional web page or contains biographical or contact information. However, the biographical or contact information itself may be subject to the rules and statutes.”

The general consensus among the jurisdictions (including Florida) would appear to be that, if the lawyer’s blog is primarily educational and/or informational in nature and not primarily for obtaining employment, it is not subject to advertising regulation (see NYSBA Ethics Op. 967 (6/5/13) here: NYSBA Ethics Op. 967).

This California interim opinion states that: “”(b)logging by an attorney may be a communication subject to the requirements and restrictions of the Rules of Professional Conduct and the State Bar Act relating to lawyer advertising if the blog expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment directly through words of invitation or offer to provide legal services, or implicitly through a description of the attorney’s legal practices and successes in such a manner that the attorney’s availability for professional employment is evident.” (emphasis supplied).  The opinion does not address whether blogs which are primarily for educational and informational purposes are subject to regulation even if it also expresses the attorney’s availability for professional employment.

Bottom line:  Lawyer blogs are subject to state Bar regulations only to the extent that the regulations do not violate the lawyer’s federal constitutional First Amendment free (commercial) speech rights; however, lawyers who blog must research the requirements of their state advertising rules, ethics opinions, and other sources to insure compliance with those state regulations.  To the extent that those rules may violate the lawyer’s First Amendment free (commercial) speech rights, the lawyer could consider a constitutional challenge.

Be careful out there.

Disclaimer:  this e-mail is not an advertisement, does not contain any legal advice, and does not create an attorney/client relationship and the comments herein should not be relied upon by anyone who reads it.

Joseph A. Corsmeier, Esquire

Law Office of Joseph A. Corsmeier, P.A.

29605 U.S. Highway 19 N. Suite 150

Clearwater, Florida 33761

Office (727) 799-1688

Fax     (727) 799-1670

[email protected]

www.jac-law.com

 

 

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