The Future Law Firm Leaders Shared Interest Group (SIG) serves in-house legal marketers with fewer than five years of in-house legal marketing experience by providing them with support, mentorship, peer networking opportunities, and relevant training.
On January 22, the Future Leaders SIG hosted its first brownbag program of the year titled “Basic Legal Marketing Ethics – What You Can and Cannot Say.” Pat O’Donnell, Ethics partner at Harris, Wiltshire & Grannis LLP, led the presentation on basic ethics rules that every marketing professional should know. The key takeaways from the event were:
- “Legal ethics” is law, not ethics
- Be cautious with what you say on the website:
- “Specialize” and “Expertise” can be dangerous
- Be wary of using any descriptive rather than strictly factual assertions, especially comparative claims
- Honesty and uprightness are great, but they are no defense to a rules violation
- Some of the governing rules are counter-intuitive
- Ask for help from in-house ethics counsel (not just any lawyer) if you have questions/concerns
- When in doubt, get lawyer approval
Keep an eye out for information on our upcoming Happy Hours and Brownbag Lunches! If you are interested in joining the group or being added to our mailing list, please contact Kara Kane at kkane@steptoe.com.
By Kara Kane, Senior Business Development Coordinator – IP and Telecom, Internet & Media, Steptoe & Johnson LLP for the January/February 2015 issue of the Capital Ideas Newsletter.