Further changes to legal advertising regulations may be on the way
Advertisements for legal services like personal injury attorneys appearing in print, radio and television ads may soon face stricter guidelines if the Missouri Bar and Missouri Supreme Court adopt newly proposed regulation.
Currently, all legal advertisements must have the disclaimer “The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisement.”
According to the Missouri Bar Board of Governors, the new regulation would dictate how that disclaimer is included within the advertisement. For instance, if it is a print ad, the disclaimer must be in high contrast to the background and at least one-third the size of the advertising lawyer’s contact information. Television and radio ads that speak the disclaimer must say it no faster than the ad speaks the phone number of the advertising lawyer.
The use of celebrities as spokesmen would also be banned in legal advertising.
The proposal has sparked a debate in the Missouri legal community over the amount of regulation that should govern legal advertisements. Supporters of the proposal say that it is important to make special rules for legal advertisements because the public could easily be mislead regarding complicated legal matters. Opponents say it is a challenge to free commercial speech and it goes too far.
Regardless of whether or not these new rules are implemented or even necessary, the disclaimer does promote some useful advice. If you or a loved one have been injured by another’s negligence and you are seeking a Missouri personal injury lawyer for legal advice, you should thoroughly research all potential lawyers before making a decision. Don’t rely simply on ads as many attorneys do little or no advertising. Find a listing of St. Louis area attorneys and give them a call. Most will provide a free consultation of your personal injury case that will tell you more than any 30 second radio ad ever could.
