Georgia’s Highest Court Regulates Attorney Advertising

But if that fast-talking is too fast to understand, it will no longer be allowed under the new rules of professional conduct ordered by the Supreme Court of Georgia. Also against the new rules: tiny print so small you are unable read it and actors playing lawyers (or clients) without telling you they are actors.Broadcast Version

Attorney Douglas Chandler notes another new no-no: fudging the facts about where you do business, saying, “A lot of lawyers will represent that they have offices in multiple locations when in fact all they have maybe is a post office box there.” The reason, says Chandler, is search engine optimization. If you are looking for a certain type of lawyer in a certain city, a quick Google search could lead you to a lawyer who may not have any experience in a courtroom near you.

Chandler says some states don’t even allow lawyers to advertise on television. The new Georgia rules apply to all forms of advertising. The State Bar of Georgia will enforce the new rules, but will the rules do any good? It could take some time. “The Bar realizes that lawyers who advertise on billboards, television and through other media have contractual obligations, and that sometimes changing those advertisements can’t be done overnight,” says Chandler.

He also admits there is one thing the rules can’t police at all: good taste.