Re: On-Line Lawyer Referrals/Listings
Susan Ross - InterLegal Services (intrlegl@netzone.com)
Mon, 3 Jun 1996 00:48:20 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Mon, 3 Jun 1996 00:48:20 -0400 (EDT)
Message-Id: <199606030448.AAA14690@foyer.homecom.com>
From: Susan Ross - InterLegal Services <intrlegl@netzone.com>
Subject: Re: On-Line Lawyer Referrals/Listings
At 03:53 PM 6/1/96 -0400, you wrote:
>I am curious if anyone has any thoughts or has heard any relevant
>information on the growing number of legal directories which in one fashion
>or another provide referrals (fee-based or otherwise) to lawyers in
>different regions and practice areas. I have seen a number of these and
>they seem to at least potentially raise all sorts of issues, both ethical
>and practical. A couple clients have asked us what sort of response (in
>terms of how the profession views them) these "services" have received. So
>I thought I'd throw this one out for comment.
>
>Any thoughts? Yes.
I am curious as to whether these legal directories constitute "referral
services." If they do, then I think that they violate ethics rules in
several states that permit referral services only if the services is
bar-sponsored or bar-approved. I know that the Arizona rules require this
(along with other requirements). However, Arizona has not stated one way or
the other whether the legal directories constitute referral services.
However, the corresponding web page that an attorney may place with the
legal directory is considered advertising (the bar has stated this in an
informal, non-binding statement). In addition, I know that Iowa has very
restrictive rules regarding legal directories (am I correct David Hirsch?).
>From a more practical standpoint, I think that attorneys often make a
mistake in placing their web pages with a directory and then failing to
register the web site with the relevant search engines. Thus, when someone
looks up attorney firms in Yahoo or elsewhere, the firm's web page is
nowhere to be found. In searching for attorney's sites, I find it very
cumbersome to go through the myriad of legal directories that are out there.
>
Susan B. Ross, Esq.
InterLegal Services
"Internet Consulting for the Legal Community"
1928 E. Highland, Suite F3-416
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602/604-8015
intrlegl@netzone.com
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