The Difference

I was approached by one of my lunchtime pool playing buddies who stated he had been asked by one of the biggest spending and self-promoting legal advertisers “what is the difference in their advertisements versus the public service announcement that we run on WTCI Public Broadcasting Station.

         “Deceptive legal advertising” is in existence because the regulatory authorities and courts have not taken strong enough positions to control the dissemination of misleading, false and deceptive ads about a lawyer/law firm with incorrect statements of their qualifications and trial results.

         Our message on WTCI does not solicit business.  It merely identifies me as a supporter of the station since the 1970’s and urges the public to also donate funds to the tax-deductible organizations.  Is this a form of legal advertising?  Probably so, but it is not deceptive or misleading.  All lawyers advertise in some fashion!

         Whether it is an announcement by one of the paid public relations specialists in Chattanooga’s biggest law firm publicizing their pro bono efforts of a member of the firm or the posting of a badge on their website from the Million Dollar Advocates Forum when you haven’t actually tried a hotly contested jury case but only took a default judgment or settled cases are both advertising.  In my opinion, the first one is proper, the second one is deceptive. 

         You can’t survive today in this era of multi-million dollars spent on often false and deceptive unless you subject the often-naïve public to some form of advertising. 

         Our firm supports Central High School, McCallie School, Notre Dame, Orange Grove Center, Area IV Special Olympics, Tennessee Special Olympics, Sewanee, St. Jude’s Hospital, Medal of Honor and Valor Museum, University of Tennessee College of Law, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and others but we do not ask anyone to send us cases.  We support them because we believe in their goals and commitments to their communities,  

         We also don’t list amounts of recoveries in personal injury cases on our website or publicly embarrass less fortunate individuals by handing them money on television.

         Yes, Mr. _______________, there is a difference.

I encourage you to buy local products and hire local, reputable attorneys!

IF YOU AGREE WITH THE CONTENT OF THE SILLY BLOG, PLEASE PASS ON TO OTHERS!