Laura

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This Oughta Be Good

News & Issues > Lawyer Ads
 

Lawyer Ads

I can remember when it first became okay for lawyers to advertise on TV. Nevada's bar association controls the ones in this state.

A few years ago, they ruled that the Nevada lawyer who was calling himself The Heavy Hitter couldn't claim to be the only heavy hitter. So he changed his ad to A Heavy Hitter. There is a lawyer in Colorado who was also calling himself The or maybe A Heavy Hitter, but I don't think he does anymore. I googled it, and there is a law firm in Syracuse, New York still advertising themselves as The Heavy Hitter.

Back here in Nevada, the new rule changes apply to that same lawyer. I don't know to what extent the other advertising lawyers are affected by it, but up until now he has made no secret that he doesn't try cases any more - he just represents his firm on the TV ads. By reading the new rules below, you get an idea of what has been going on.

Among other things, the new rules require actors to be clearly identified as such in ads and require disclaimers to be clearly displayed in both print and television ads. For print ads, disclaimers must be big enough to see.

The new rules also require the naming of lawyers who will provide services touted in ads and require the dollar amount of a court award listed in an ad to be the amount received by a client.

Ads listing a specific fee or range of fees now must list how long they remain in effect and other limitations, and they can't promise that clients must pay only if their attorney wins the case. This is because sometimes if you lose a court case, you have to pay the other side's fees and court costs.

If a gross amount of an award is stated, attorney's fees, litigation expenses and other costs must be disclosed as well.

Lawyers can continue to cite their records and results in ads. But you can only cite the results if you were lead counsel in the matter or key in the result.

Take that, Mr. Heavy Hitter.

posted on Dec 20, 2012 2:16 PM ()

Comments:

I have not seen any heavy hitter lawyer ads in this area -- but I miss a lot . What we have down here, that I never saw in NYC, are ads from doctors. That used to be a no-no. In any case, I would never patronize a doctor or a lawyer solely on the basis of an ad. On the other hand, our eye doctor who is excellent, does run an ad in the local paper. Maybe he found that it was necessary. Competition is fierce.
comment by tealstar on Dec 24, 2012 6:41 AM ()
Now I'm trying to think whether we have doctor ads here. I think we do.
reply by troutbend on Jan 3, 2013 4:23 PM ()
ALL advertising is misleading and disingenuous, so let's not just criticize the sleazy lawyers. For the most part, the better law firms do NOT advertise; they don't have to b/c their abilities are known by reputation and the word of mouth via prior clients.
comment by steve on Dec 21, 2012 1:14 PM ()
Ambulance chasers and car dealers - they both depend on four wheels.
reply by troutbend on Jan 3, 2013 4:24 PM ()
What I find amazing is the level of disclosure required for lawyers--- and yet, aren't most politicians lawyers? Too bad political ads do not require the same level of honesty/disclosure!
comment by dragonflyby on Dec 20, 2012 8:17 PM ()
Maybe that's why they go into politics, easier to hide secrets.
reply by troutbend on Dec 20, 2012 9:53 PM ()
We don't have anything that colorful here.
comment by elderjane on Dec 20, 2012 5:54 PM ()
There's a lot of lawyer ads here in Las Vegas, but the Heavy Hitter one is the most obnoxious of them.
reply by troutbend on Dec 20, 2012 9:54 PM ()
The jingle for the guys up here is something like: The heavy hitters are all you need call 1-800 Law 13 33.

From google:
... Rochester Personal Injury Lawyers at Alexander & Catalano are here to help personal injury and accident victims. Call The Heavy Hitters at 1 800 LAW 1333.
comment by jjoohhnn on Dec 20, 2012 5:33 PM ()
Now, I'll have to listen to our guy's jingle again and see what exactly the words are. It'd be so funny if it was close to the same jingle.
reply by troutbend on Dec 20, 2012 9:56 PM ()
We see the add for the Heavy Hitters all the time. The phrase is part of their jingle on the commercials. I'll never trust a lawyer....always advertising trying to find people to sue "for". Yeah... a third. Bastards!
comment by jjoohhnn on Dec 20, 2012 4:22 PM ()
I can hear this guy's jingle in my head. I'll bet he sold it to the guys up there in Syracuse. It was something like: "Heavy hitter, that's the way to go - Just dial something-something-oh-oh-oh"
reply by troutbend on Dec 20, 2012 5:06 PM ()
I wonder if anyone ever hires them from the TV ads--the ones here (them and the ads)look so cheap!!!
comment by greatmartin on Dec 20, 2012 2:46 PM ()
I knew a gal at work who was in a car accident and she hired the one in Denver (I just looked, and now he's The Strong Arm). The case was delegated to some lowly person in the law firm, and they never returned her calls, and she was very disappointed. Too much bait and switch.
reply by troutbend on Dec 20, 2012 5:00 PM ()

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