Ethics Hotline & Opinions

Ethics Docket No. 1995-27

MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION, INC.

COMMITTEE ON ETHICS

ETHICS DOCKET NO. 1995-27

Advertising: Use of 800 phone number as a licensee

 

You indicate that you are a sole practitioner who concentrates in the area of domestic and personal injury law. You are in the process of attempting to secure rights to use a licensed phone number which is: ""1-800-COLLISION"". You have indicated that respective clients' phone calls will be directly routed to your office via point-of-call routing software by AT&T/MCI. You further state that this arrangement does not involve the use of lawyer referrals. You further state that the choice of advertising medium and format of the advertising is completely within your control and that you are already a licensee for the number 1-800-DIVORCE.

You ask that the Committee on Ethics issue an opinion as to whether or not there is any ethical impropriety in the usage associated with this licensing arrangement.

Rule 7.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct sets forth rules regarding advertising for lawyers. It would appear, however, that your inquiry does not address advertising per se, but simply the use of a licensed phone number. The Committee believes that there is no prohibition on the usage of a licensed phone number in the manner that you have set forth. Obviously, any advertising medium or format that you would choose to use that might embody these licensed phone numbers would have to comply with the dictates of Rule 7.2.

References: Ethics Docket  1994-13

 

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