§ 1103.29 - Public communication and solicitation.

§ 1103.29 Public communication and solicitation.

(a) A practitioner shall not make any public communication or solicitation for employment containing a false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive statement or claim. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to:

(1) The use of statements containing a material misrepresentation of fact or omission of a material fact necessary to keep the statement from being misleading;

(2) Statements intended or likely to create an unjustifiable expectation; statements of fee information which are not complete and accurate;

(3) Statements containing information on past performance or prediction of future success;

(4) Statements of prior Board employment outside the context of biographical information; statements containing a testimonial about or endorsement of a practitioner;

(5) Statements containing an opinion as to the quality of a practitioner's services, or statements intended or likely to attract clients by the use of showmanship, puffery, or self-laudation, including the use of slogans, jingles, or sensational language or format.

(b) A practitioner shall not solicit a potential client who has given the practitioner adequate notice that he does not want to receive communications from the practitioner, nor shall a practitioner make a solicitation which involves the use of undue influence.

(c) A practitioner shall not solicit a potential client who is apparently in a physical or mental condition which would make it unlikely that he could exercise reasonable, considered judgment as to the selection of a practitioner.

(d) A practitioner shall not pay or otherwise assist any other person who is not also a practitioner and a member or associate of the same firm to solicit employment for the practitioner.

(e) If a public communication is to be made through use of radio or television, it must be prerecorded and approved for broadcast by the practitioner. A recording of the actual transmission must be retained by the practitioner for a period of 1 year after the date of the final transmission.

(f) A paid advertisement must be identified as such unless it is apparent from the context that it is a paid advertisement.

(g) A practitioner shall not compensate or give anything of value to a representative of any communication medium in anticipation of or in return for professional publicity in a news item.