The Rant- Lawyer Advertising

The Chattanooga Times Free Press has a column titled “The Rant” in the Perspective Section (E) in each Sunday’s edition of the paper where readers are asked to tell the paper in 25 words or less about “something on their mind.”

            The February 25, 2018, group of comments had an interesting rant that may suggest some public concern about the present blitz of lawyer advertising primarily in the personal injury and bankruptcy areas although divorce and criminal law solicitors have become part of the self-laudatory hustle for cases.

            It states: “If lawyers could not advertise the local TV stations would be bankrupt.  How did our world get so lawsuit crazy?  Only lawyers win in court!”

            The Ranting citizen is correct, except he left out radio stations, newspapers, social media and the 1,200 Best of the Best lawyer listings that cater to the paranoia and greed of the legal community to shore up their declining financial budgets with often incorrect, misleading, and deceptive tactics that overstate the ability of many of the lawyer advertisers to the detriment of the public.

            To answer the “lawsuit crazy” question in the Rant the United States Supreme Court in 1977 ruled that the legal community could advertise for the public’s right to know which would allow lawyer advertising in the “limited areas of uncontested divorces, uncontested adoptions, simple personal bankruptcies, and name changes.

            With this naïve opinion by Justice Harry Blackmun Pandora’s Box was opened!

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