Hello everyone and welcome to this Ethics Alert, which will discuss the recent Florida Bar Board of Governors (BOG) decisions to uphold the Florida Bar Standing Committee on Advertising (SCA) decision that “Ambulances Chase Us” is deceptive or misleading and reverse an SCA decision that a law firm’s billboards advertising the telephone number “1-800-411-PAIN” are misleading.
At its September 20, 2019, the BOG voted to uphold an SCA decision that the slogan “Ambulances Chase Us ”is deceptive or misleading under Rule 4-7.13(a) because it is “both unethical and illegal for ambulance drivers to solicit cases for lawyers and because it is factually and legally inaccurate.”
The Board Review Committee on Professional Ethics (BRC) voted to uphold the SCA finding that the advertisement is impermissible. The BOG voted 18-14 to uphold the SCA finding.
At the same meeting, the BOG also voted, without debate, to reverse an SCA determination regarding billboards that advertise the telephone number “1-800-411-PAIN.” As background, the SCA had voted to find that billboards are misleading under Bar Rule 4-7.13(a) because the advertisements are on behalf of the private law firm but advertise the telephone number “1-800-411-Pain” in North and Southwest Florida which was used by the now-defunct lawyer referral service called 1-800-411-Pain. The telephone number is also currently being used by a new qualifying provider/lawyer referral service called “Path” in Southeast and Central Florida.
The law firm had argued, inter alia, that the advertisements were not misleading because they clearly show the law firm’s name. The law firm also stated that, at the BRC’s request, it will answer the telephone with the law firm’s name.
Bottom line: There was apparently some discussion at the BOG meeting that the “Ambulances Chase Us” slogan was just an attempt at humor and was not misleading and the final 18-14 BOG vote was very close. The 411 Pain vote reverses the SCA determination that the use of the telephone number was misleading.
Be careful out there.
As always, if you have any questions about this Ethics Alert or need assistance, analysis, and guidance regarding ethics, risk management, or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact me.
My law firm focuses on review, analysis, and interpretation of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, advice and representation of lawyers in Bar disciplinary matters, advice and representation of applicants for admission to The Florida Bar before the Board of Bar Examiners, defense of all Florida licensed professionals in discipline and admission matters before all state agencies and boards, expert ethics opinions, and practice management for lawyers and law firms. If there is a lawyer or other Florida professional license involved, I can defend the complaint or help you get your license.
If you have any questions or comments, please call me at (727) 799-1688 or e-mail me at [email protected]. You can find my law firm on the web at www.jac-law.com. In addition to handling individual cases, matters, problems and issues for my clients, I also am on retainer to provide ethics advice to numerous lawyers and law firms throughout the state of Florida. I also provide legal assistance and advice to numerous individuals and non-legal entities to help insure compliance with the law and rules related to UPL and other issues.
If there are others at your firm who would like to be included on the distribution list, please feel free to forward this update to them or let us know in an email. If you would like to forward this Ethics Alert to any person or entity please feel free do so as long as it is not for personal gain and you forward the entire email, including all contact information and disclaimers.
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.
2999 Alt. 19, Suite A
Palm Harbor, Florida
Office (727) 799-1688
Fax (727) 799-1670
Please note: My office has moved and the new office address is 2999 Alt. 19, Palm Harbor, FL 34683. All other contact information remains the same.
| Joseph Corsmeier |
