Calculated advertisement

(1) An attorney shall not in any way make use of any form of advertisement calculated to attract clients to himself or any firm with which he is associated and he shall not permit, 24 Legal Profession authorise, or encourage anyone to do so or reward anyone for doing so on his behalf. (2) An attorney shall not permit his professional standing to be used for the purpose of advertising any particular product, service or commercial organization. (3) An attorney shall not advertise indirectly by furnishing or inspiring newspaper comment concerning cases or causes in which an attorney has been or is connected or concerning the manner of their conduct, the magnitude of the interests involved, the importance of the attorney’s position and any similar self-laudations. An attorney should be especially mindful of this rule when he holds a position from which he can influence what is published in newspaper, provided however that– (a) an attorney may permit limited and dignified identification of himself as an attorney– (i) in political advertisements relevant to the course of a political campaign or issue; (ii) in the announcement of his professional status is required or authorised by law, or is reasonably necessary for a purpose other than the attraction of potential (iii) in reports and announcements of bona fide commercial, civic, professional or political organizations in which, he serves as a director or officer; (iv) in and on legal textbook, articles, professional journals, and other legal Legal Profession 25 publications and in dignified and restrained advertisements thereof; (v) in announcements of any public address, lecture, or publication by him on legal topics, provided that such announcements do not emphasize his own professional competence and are not likely to be regarded as being concerned with the giving of individual advice by him; (b) an attorney may speak in public or write for publication on legal topics so long as he does not thereby emphasize his own professional competence and is not likely to be regarded as being concerned thereby with the giving of individual advice; (c) the following cards, office signs, letterheads or directory listings may be used by an attorney but in a restrained and dignified form– (i) a professional card identifying the attorney by name and as an attorney, giving his decorations degrees,1egal or otherwise, his legal areas of work, his addresses, telephone numbers and the name of his law firm or professional associates so however that such cards are not published in the news media and are only handed out on request and for the purposes of identification or address; (ii) a brief professional announcement card to be delivered to attorneys, clients, personal friends and relations and 26 Legal Profession government bodies and stating new or changed associations or addresses, of firm name or like professional matters; (iii) a sign of a size and design compatible with the existing practice of the profession, on or near the door of the office and in the building, directory identifying the law office, provided that neither decorations nor degrees shall be mentioned on such sign; (iv) a letterhead identifying the attorney by name and as an attorney and giving his decorations and degrees, legal or otherwise, his addresses, telephone numbers and the name of his law firm and of his associates; (v) a listing in a telephone directory a reputable law list, legal directory or biographical reference giving brief biographical or relevant information; and any such professional card, office sign, letterhead or listing may state that the attorney is also a notary public; (vi) an attorney who becomes a Minister of Government shall not while he is such a Minister permit his name to be used on any such professional card, office sign, letterhead or listing except as part of the name of his firm. Legal Profession 27