Ethics Opinions
Iowa Supreme Court Board of Professional Ethics and Conduct
Date of Opinion:
06/04/2002
Opinion Number:
01-10
Title:
LAWINFO.COM “LEAD COUNSEL PROGRAM”
Opinion:
You have been solicited by LawInfo.com to participate in its “Lead Counsel Program.” In essence, the program provides exclusive listings on the company’s website in return for a flat annual fee for each area of practice, per area code. The company describes the program as follows:
“Our success is due, in part, to the exclusiveness of the Lead Counsel Program. Potential Lead Counsel candidates are researched by LawInfo.com, and/or nominated by their peers. Nominees must meet specified qualification guidelines and provide references. During the selection process, the Regional Director of the Lead Counsel Program narrows down each panel to just 4 law firms per practice area and geographic region. This insures that each Lead Counsel Member received the maximum exposure possible to potential new clients.
Once a Lead Counsel Member has been admitted to a panel, potential clients can easily access their website through the LawInfo.com attorney database. Each Lead Counsel Member’s listing includes a link directly to their website. By simply clicking on the link, visitors are directed to either the firm’s existing site, or a website created by LawInfo.com for the Lead Counsel Member, at no additional charge.”
For the same reasons discussed in Formal Opinion 00-7, it is the opinion of the Board that it would be improper for Iowa lawyers to participate in the Lead Counsel Program.