Missouri considers banned deceptive ads
August 25, 2009
Earlier this month, I applauded a federal judge’s ruling to uphold Louisiana’s rules prohibiting deceptive lawyer ads. Similar rules are under consideration in Missouri according to Travis Akin of Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch in an op-ed published earlier this week.
He writes:
The Board of Governors of the Missouri Bar will soon be considering new rules to tighten up regulations on personal injury lawyer advertising, a move many law firms are fighting.
The rules include bolstering the visibility of a required disclaimer and banning the use of celebrities in lawyer ads.
Akin laments Illinois’s unwillingness to take similar action:
While the Show Me State is actively refining its rules, Illinois has done very little to regulate personal injury lawyer advertising.
Illinois television viewers are treated to a barrage of ads that go far beyond informing people of their rights. Many of these ads almost dare viewers to file a lawsuit even if they have not been injured.
I stand with Akin in hoping that Illinois can follow in Missouri and Louisiana’s footsteps in curbing deceptive advertising.