Methods used to advertise a VLOTech Virtual Law Office are the same used to advertise a traditional brick and mortar law office and must comply with the advertising rules set forth by the attorney’s state bar. For many years now even more traditional law practices turn to online and other electronic forms of advertising. The key factor to consider when advertising a VLO is that the whatever form of advertising is chosen it must not contain false or misleading information about the attorney or the legal services the VLO offers.
Websites and blogs are a popular and effective method of online advertising used by a growing number of legal professionals, especially attorneys operating VLOs. Many state bars require that their attorneys register the law VLOs URL with the state bar ahead of taking the virtual practice live. Similar to the VLO’s name, the URL name should not be misleading. In most cases, the URL does not have to contain language which specifically identifies the website or blog’s owners as long as the homepage of the VLO website or blog clearly identifies the attorney(s) operating the virtual law practice.
Is the existence of a VLO itself a direct solicitation to the public for online legal services? No. A prospective client would have to actively search online for legal services. Given the large number of online attorney listings and directories, it is highly unlikely that any member of the public who is capable of conducting an online search for legal assistance would be misled by selecting a VLO attorney for an initial consultation out of a crowded online legal marketplace.
Most online clients are familiar with conducting highly sensitive transactions online on a daily basis, including online investing, banking, purchasing and selling goods and services. Furthermore, the steps that a prospective client must take to register with the VLO ensure that the prospective client is made aware of the nature of the legal services provided online through both a clickwrap agreement and multiple notices created by the virtual attorney for their individual VLO.
VLO Website or Blog Content
Complying with your state bar’s ethics rulings and rules of professional conduct on advertising requires careful scrutiny of the VLO website or blog. The ABA’s Elawyering Task Force, ABA Law Practice Management Section and ABA Standing Committee On the Delivery of Legal Services published the Best Practice Guidelines for Legal Information Web Site Providers on February 10, 2003. This publication provides guidelines regarding website content that may be applied to a VLO. Many of these guidelines will be similar to those written into individual state bar regulations for website content.
In general, the VLO website or blog should contain adequate contact information to inform the public of the attorney or law firm providing the online legal services and where they are licensed to practice law, and some method of contact, either by email address or telephone number. This information allows the public to conduct their own research regarding the source of online legal services being offered and to make an informed decision before retaining the services of that VLO.
In addition, any content on a VLO website or blog should include the date the content was last reviewed so that anyone reading the site will have a frame of reference. If the VLO is set up as a blog, then the date of publication for the content is not only provided automatically with each post, but may also be archived and searchable as a resource for the public and clients. General content and legal advice included on the website should state somewhere that members of the public should not rely on this advice and should seek the advice of an attorney for assistance with legal needs for their individual circumstances. Providing links to other reliable resources for the public to use in making decisions and finding legal assistance is preferable. The jurisdiction of the website should be absolutely clear to the public and should be stated in several places throughout the website.
The foregoing are suggestions for advertising and setting up the VLOTech VLO website or blog. Any attorney interested in setting up a VLOTech VLO is advised to consult with their individual state bar to assure that their VLO practice will be in compliance with any rules and regulations where they are licensed. VLOTech will work with attorneys setting up VLOTech VLOs to advertise and market their virtual law practices with methods that comply with the advertising rules and other standards of that attorney’s state bar.