Legal Definitions - attorney's advertising

Definition: Attorney's advertising refers to the commercials that appear on television or in the yellow pages of the telephone book. It was illegal until 1977 when the Supreme Court ruled that any restriction on lawyer advertising was an abridgement of free speech. However, the size and cleverness of the ads are no indication of the quality of the lawyer's talent, experience, integrity, or level of personal attention.

For example, a lawyer may have a big and flashy ad, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are the best lawyer for the job. It has been said that "the bigger the ad, the worse the attorney," but this is not always true. Unfortunately, advertising has led to a "chain store" approach to law representation, where paralegals and inexperienced lawyers are used to handle high volume practices at low wages.

Overall, attorney's advertising can be misleading and may not accurately reflect the quality of legal services provided. It is important to do research and not solely rely on advertisements when choosing a lawyer.