
Utah Rules of Professional Conduct
If you are part of the Utah Bar and are admitted to practice law by the Supreme Court of Utah, 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 Utah Rules of Professional Conduct and the Utah 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 Utah requirements while still being effective for your Law Firm.
Resources
Ethics Advisory Opinions on Advertising by Utah Attorneys – This website details the Utah State Bar’s Ethics Advisory Opinions for lawyer advertising.
Office of Professional Conduct – This office details disciplinary processes in Utah, as well as means to report a complaint.
Utah Court Rules of Professional Conduct – This website details the specifics for lawyer communication in Utah.
Key Rules to be Aware of
Rule 7.1
(a) 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:
(1) contains a material misrepresentation of fact or law, or omits a fact necessary to make the statement considered as a whole not materially misleading;
(2) is likely to create an unjustified or unreasonable expectation about results the lawyer can achieve or has achieved; or
(3) contains a testimonial or endorsement that violates any portion of this Rule.
(b) A lawyer shall not interact with a prospective client in a manner that involves 10 coercion, duress, or harassment.
Comments
[1] This Rule governs all communications about a lawyer’s services. Whatever means are used to make known a lawyer’s services, statements about them must be truthful.
[2] Truthful statements that are misleading are also prohibited by this Rule. A truthful statement is misleading if it omits a fact necessary to make the lawyer’s communication considered as a whole not materially misleading. A truthful statement is also misleading if there is a substantial likelihood that it will lead a reasonable person to formulate a specific conclusion about the lawyer or the lawyer’s services for which there is no reasonable factual foundation.