Maine Rules of Professional Conduct
If you are part of the Maine Bar and are admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Maine, there are some rules you need to adhere to when it comes to internet marketing, including social media and your custom law firm website.
The Maine Rules of Professional Conduct and the Maine Bar Rules are set to make sure law firm advertising is both honest and ethical. If you fail to follow the guidelines and regulations, you may be subject to disciplinary action.
The trusted marketing firm at Law Firm Sites will ensure your website and advertisements fit within the Maine requirements while still being effective for your Law Firm.
Resources
Maine Rules of Professional Conduct – Here’s the complete list for the Rules of Professional Conduct in Maine.
Preamble on Ethics – This is a helpful resource to read alongside the rules of professional conduct.
Key Rules to be Aware of
7.1 Communications Concerning a Lawyer’s Services
A lawyer shall not make a false or misleading communication about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services. A communication is false or misleading if it contains a material misrepresentation of fact or law, or omits a fact necessary to make the statement considered as a whole not materially misleading.
7.2 Advertising
(a) Subject to the requirements of Rules 7.1 and 7.3, a lawyer may advertise services through written, recorded or electronic communication, including public media.
(b) A lawyer shall not give anything of value to a person for recommending the lawyer’s services except that a lawyer may
(1) pay the reasonable costs of advertisements or communications permitted by this Rule;
(2) pay the usual charges of a legal service plan or a not-for-profit or qualified lawyer referral service. A qualified lawyer referral service is a lawyer referral service operated, sponsored or approved by a bar association or bar regulatory organization;
(3) pay for a law practice in accordance with Rule 1.17; and
(4) refer clients to another lawyer or a nonlawyer professional pursuant to an agreement not otherwise prohibited under these Rules that provides for the other person to refer clients or customers to the lawyer, if
(i) the reciprocal referral agreement is not exclusive, and
(ii) the client is informed of the existence and nature of the agreement.
(c) Any communication made pursuant to this rule shall include the name and office address of at least one lawyer or law firm responsible for its content.
