A new component of the state bar association's strategic marketing campaign - an ISBA membermark - was approved by the Board of Governors at its Oct. 19 meeting. Use of the membermark will enable members to reap the benefit of the ISBA's strategic marketing campaign.

Newspaper ads will begin appearing weekly in more than 260 papers across Illinois this month, asking the question:

“Who's on your side? Ask if your lawyer is a member of ISBA.” Use of the membermark will provide a tie-in by helping consumers locate ISBA member lawyers.

Beginning in December, the membermark will be available for use on members' office stationery, business cards and envelopes, and on signage at their offices or buildings.

The mark also can be used on members' Web pages, in print advertising in newspapers and magazines, in connection with e-mail signatures, and in direct mail solicitations distributed via regular mail.

A separate mark that designates an ISBA member firm will be available for use by law firms with 100 percent ISBA membership.

An ISBA member must sign a usage agreement in order to use the membermark. The agreement spells out how the mark can be used and some prohibitions. In signing, a member acknowledges that the ISBA is not certifying his or her work.

Use of the mark will be prohibited in pop-up Internet ads, e-mail blasts to non-clients, advertising in telephone directories, on television or on billboards.

The newspaper ads, featuring the image of Abraham Lincoln, will be placed every week in 268 daily and weekly newspapers covering every county in Illinois.

The message will be changed from time to time, eventually targeting consumers of such specific services as estate planning, personal injury and other common legal problems.