Practice Tools

ISBA Ethics Opinions on Advertising and Solicitation

  • Non Illinois licensed lawyer representing party in Illinois arbitration proceeding : 12-17
  • Duties and obligations of departing law firm associate : 12-14
  • Labeling direct solicitations as "Advertising Material" : 12-04
  • Lawyer's participation in networking group with nonlawyer professionals : 12-03
  • Third party vendor lawyer promotion (advertising) and compensation : 06-02
  • Identifying non-legal accreditations : 03-05
  • Capital Litigation Trial Bar designation : 03-03
  • Lawyer for lending institution seeking to represent already represented borrower : 99-03
  • Prerecorded telephone legal information hotline : 97-06
  • For profit referral service : 97-05
  • Lawyer’s employee in-person solicitation : 97-02
  • Use of e-mail, Lawyer Websites : 96-10
  • Discharged lawyer contacting represented former client, duty to report : 96-09
  • Advertising “specialization,” delegation of work outside firm : 96-08
  • Private practice in the name of a nonlawyer owned corporation : 96-04
  • Third-party solicitation on behalf of a lawyer : 96-02
  • Distribution of materials at public seminar : 96-01
  • Court appointed guardian ad litem for minor may represent that minor in personal injury litigation arising out of matter in which attorney acted as guardian ad litem : 95-03
  • Participation in for profit lawyer referral service managed and advertised by nonlawyers : 94-12
  • Participation in for profit telephone legal advice hotline managed and advertised by nonlawyers : 94-11
  • Client referrals from nonlawyer in exchange for payments : 94-08
  • Lawyer participation in informational seminar and subsequent legal representation : 94-04
  • Social hospitality to elected and appointed government officials : 94-03
  • In-person solicitation of employment : 93-10
  • Direct mail solicitations : 92-17
  • Reduced fees to government employee in exchange for potential referrals : 92-16
  • Corporate client recommends its law firm to corporate employees and secures reduced fees for the employees : 92-08
  • Charging contingent fee in non-litigation matters : 91-13
  • Solicitation via written communication : 90-37
  • Nonlawyer preparing revocable trust documents and/or initiating contact with potential clients for lawyer : 90-19
  • Sponsorship of athletic team : 85-01
  • Solicitation via “Welcome Wagon” service : 832
  • Solicitation of existing clients : 84-12
  • Lawyer engaging in direct mail and/or in person solicitation via the “Welcome Wagon.” : 84-04
  • Referrals from organization and use of organizations clerical staff : 827
  • Pens imprinted with firm name : 812
  • Writing newspaper articles on general legal subjects : 763
  • Billboards : 756
  • Identification of fields of concentration : 749
  • Offering to conduct seminars on legal subjects : 727
  • Third-party solicitation : 705
  • Firm announcements : 702
  • Direct in person solicitation : 700

ISBA Advisory Opinions on Professional Conduct are prepared as an educational service to members of the ISBA. While the opinions express the ISBA interpretation of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct and other relevant materials in response to a specific hypothesized fact situation, they do not have the weight of law and should not be relied upon as a substitute for individual legal advice. For more information, call the ISBA Legal Department at (217) 525-1760 or (800) 252-8908.