
Montana Rules of Professional Conduct
Wanting to update your internet marketing or change your website advertising? You’ll need to read through the Montana Rules of Professional Conduct before moving forward.
If you fail to follow all the guidelines listed, you may be subject to some disciplinary action.
Luckily, the creative marketing team at Law Firm Sites can assist you in creating a marketing plan and website that follow the state guidelines while still being effective.
For more information on the state bar rules, visit the resources listed below.
Resources
Montana Rules Professional Conduct – This resource will give you the complete list of rules in Montana for Lawyers.
Montana State Bar Ethics Opinions – Have questions after reading through the professional conduct rules? This is a helpful resource.
Key Rules to be Aware of
RULE 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 if it contains a material misrepresentation of fact or law. A misleading communication includes, but is not limited to those that:
(a) omits a fact as a result of which the statement considered as a whole is materially misleading;
(b) is likely to create an unjustified expectation about results the lawyer can achieve;
(c) proclaims results obtained on behalf of clients, such as the amount of a damage award or the lawyer’s record in obtaining favorable verdicts or settlements, without stating that past results afford no guarantee of future results and that every case is different and must be judged on its own merits;
(d) states or implies that the lawyer can achieve results by means that violate the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law;
(e) compares the quality of a lawyer’s or a law fi rm’s services with other lawyers’ services, unless the comparison can be factually substantiated;
(f) advertises for a specific type of case concerning which the lawyer has neither experience nor competence;
(g) indicates an area of practice in which the lawyer routinely refers matters to other lawyers, without conspicuous identification of such fact;
(h) contains any paid testimonial about, or endorsement of, the lawyer without conspicuous identification of the fact that payments have been made for the testimonial or endorsement;
(i) contains any simulated portrayal of a lawyer, client, victim, scene, or event without conspicuous identification of the fact that it is a simulation;
(j) provides an office address for an office staffed only part time or by appointment only, without conspicuous identification of such fact;
(k) states that legal services are available on a contingent or no recovery, no-fee basis without stating conspicuously that the client may be responsible for costs or expenses, if that is the case; or
(l) advertises for legal services without identifying the jurisdictions in which the lawyer is licensed to practice.