§ Rule 4-7.1 General
Rule 4-7.1. General
(a) Permissible Forms of Advertising. Subject to all the requirements set forth in this subchapter 4-7, including the filing requirements of rule 4-7.7, a lawyer may advertise services through public media, including but not limited to: print media, such as a telephone directory, legal directory, newspaper or other periodical; outdoor advertising, such as billboards and other signs; radio, television, and computer-accessed communications; recorded messages the public may access by dialing a telephone number; and written communication in accordance with rule 4-7.4.
Advertisements Disseminated in Florida. Subchapter 4-7 shall apply to lawyers admitted to practice law in Florida who solicit or advertise for legal employment in Florida or who target solicitations or advertisements for legal employment at Florida residents.
(c) Advertisements by Out-of-State Lawyers. Subchapter 4-7 shall apply to lawyers admitted to practice law in jurisdictions other than Florida:
(1) who have established a regular and/or permanent presence in Florida for the practice of law as authorized by other law; and
(2) who solicit or advertise for legal employment in Florida or who target solicitations or advertisements for legal employment at Florida residents.
(d) Advertisements Not Disseminated in Florida. Subchapter 4-7 shall not apply to any advertisement broadcast or disseminated in another jurisdiction in which the advertising lawyer is admitted if such advertisement complies with the rules governing lawyer advertising in that jurisdiction and is not intended for broadcast or dissemination within the state of Florida.
(e) Communications Between Lawyers. Subchapter 4-7 shall not apply to communications between lawyers.
(f) Communications With Family Members. Subchapter 4-7 shall not apply to communications between a lawyer and that lawyer's own family members.
(g) Communications With Current and Former Clients. Subchapter 4-7 shall not apply to communications between a lawyer and that lawyer's own current and former clients. However, a lawyer shall not provide advertising materials to the lawyer's own current or former clients that the lawyer received from other attorneys--a lawyer shall not serve as a conduit for other attorneys' advertising. Further, as used in this rule, the term “former clients” does not include the clients or former clients of a public entity.
(h) Communications at a Prospective Client's Request. Subchapter 4-7 shall not apply to communications between a lawyer and a prospective client if made at the request of that prospective client.
(i) Application of General Misconduct Rule. The general rule prohibiting a lawyer from engaging in conduct involving
dishonesty, deceit, or misrepresentation applies to all communications by a lawyer, whether or not subchapter 4-7 applies to that communication.