Friday, February 13, 2009

Buffalo Plane Crash Ad Taken Down

I received a phone call moments ago from a very upset Jonathan Reiter, a local attorney whose office ran this ad this morning regarding the crash of Colgan Air / Continental Flight 3407:

Continental Crash Victim?
Helping Victims of Flight 3407
Contact Our Aviation Attorneys
www.jcReiterLaw.com
New York

Reiter told me that, when he heard of the ad, he ordered it taken down immediately and "has basically taken the head off the guy that did this." That ad is now gone.

But here is the crux of the problem: Attorney advertising and ethics are deeply entwined. And so, when the advertising is outsourced, then the ethics get outsourced with it.

See also, from November 2007: The Ethics of Attorney Search Services.

Labels: Attorney Ethics, Buffalo Plane Crash

posted by Eric Turkewitz
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Comments:

He should advertise to try and help those people. There is nothing unethical about that, so long as he is qualified.

# posted by  Michael Ehline, Esq. : February 13, 2009 5:21 PM

 

In NY, it is a violation of the ethics code to solicit within 30 days of an accident.

# posted by  Eric Turkewitz : February 13, 2009 6:36 PM

 

Googling "Buffalo plane crash attorney" tonight at 8:05 p.m. found two more:

Tragedy in New York: The Buffalo Airplane Crash
http://research.lawyers.com/blogs/archives/614-Tragedy-in-New-York-The-Buffalo-Airplane-Crash.html (on Lawyers.com no less)

Buffalo Plane Crash Law
We will review your case for free.
Justice is worth fighting for.
www.8397777.comBuffalo, NY

You are right, Eric. The crash is testing the new anti-solicitation rule.

# posted by  Roy A. Mura : February 13, 2009 8:22 PM

 

I just did a search for "Continental Flight 3407" and up popped an advertisement for the Nolan Law Group, a Chicago law firm headed by Don Nolan according to their website. It'd be nice if we can protect the families from these chasers. Other than Reiter, I have not seen any NY lawyers doing similar advertising.

# posted by  Anonymous : February 14, 2009 8:31 AM

 

What is your view on whether this page violates NY ethics rules?
http://www.kreindler.com/kreindler_news/news_current/2-13-2009-Buffalo-New-York-Continental-Express-Flight-3407-Crash.html

# posted by  Anonymous : February 14, 2009 11:49 PM

 

Federal Law restricts attorney solicitations of clients after an aviation disaster for several months, with each violation punishable by a fine of $10,000.00

# posted by  Anonymous : February 16, 2009 11:45 AM

 

Neither the fed law nor NY's ethics law seems to have stopped some folks. If you Google Flight 3407.

# posted by  Eric Turkewitz : February 16, 2009 1:43 PM

 

As of right now, the add under Sponsored Links is still on the Google page when searching Buffalo Plane Crash (the only one I might add).
I guess he wasn't that mortified by the ad after all!

# posted by  Anonymous : February 17, 2009 5:03 PM

 

It is not the attorney's responsiblity to know the ethics/marketing rules - NOT the advertisers. Advertisers must comply with what the firm/attorney instructs them to do...

# posted by  Anonymous : February 18, 2009 5:44 PM

 

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