Can a lawyer print a Chamber of Commerce advertisement promoting his city on the back of his office envelopes?

Plain-English summary

The inquiry asked whether a lawyer violates the Canons by placing a printed advertisement, approved by his city's Chamber of Commerce, on the back of his office envelopes, promoting the vicinity in which he lives and pointing out the assets and characteristics of that community.

The Committee concluded there is no violation of any Canon by an attorney placing such advertising matter on the back of his office envelopes (9-0). It added that, in the Committee's view, it would be better for an attorney not to place such advertising matter on his envelopes and to leave advertising of that nature to the Chamber of Commerce and business institutions, observing that while no Canon is violated, advertising of this character on a lawyer's envelopes or letterheads tends to demean the attorney and the profession.

Currency note

This opinion was issued in 1958, under the former Texas Canons of Ethics, which the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct replaced effective January 1, 1990. It also predates Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, 433 U.S. 350 (1977), which loosened categorical advertising restrictions. Subsequent rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance. Verify against current rules before relying on any specific rule, deadline, or requirement mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Does putting a community ad on a lawyer's envelopes break any rule?

A: The Committee concluded it violates no Canon to place a Chamber of Commerce community advertisement on the back of an attorney's office envelopes.

Q: Did the Committee approve of the practice?

A: It found no violation but said the better course would be to leave such advertising to the Chamber and business institutions, observing that advertising of this character on a lawyer's envelopes or letterheads tends to demean the attorney and the profession.

Background and rules framework

The opinion interprets former Texas Canon 24, which addressed advertising and solicitation. The modern analog is ABA Model Rule 7.1 (communications concerning a lawyer's services), which governs what a lawyer may say in advertising and on materials such as letterhead.

Citations and references

Rules of Professional Conduct:

• MR 7.1 (communications concerning a lawyer's services), as the modern analog
• Texas Canon 24 (former canon on advertising and solicitation)

See also

• TX Ethics Op. 174: "Attorney at Law" Printed on Bank Checks
• TX Ethics Op. 199: Self-Laudatory Office-Move Announcement Card
• TX Ethics Op. 198: Bar-Association Memberships on Letterhead

Source

• Landing page: https://www.legalethicstexas.com/resources/opinions/opinion-175/
• Original PDF: https://tcle-web.s3.amazonaws.com/public/documents/Opinion_175.pdf

Original opinion text

Reproduced from the official source for research purposes. The linked source is authoritative.

QUESTION PRESENTED

Would there be a violation of the Canons of Ethics if an attorney placed a printed advertisement, approved by the Chamber of Commerce of his city, on the back of his office envelopes advertising the vicinity in which he lives and pointing out the assets and characteristics of that community?

18 Baylor L. Rev. 273 (1966)

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Chamber of Commerce advertisement of community on back of an attorney's office envelopes does not violate the Canons of Ethics.

Canon 24.

The committee is of the opinion that there is no violation of any of the Canons of Ethics of the State Bar of Texas by an attorney placing such advertising matter on the back of his office envelopes. But it is the feeling of the committee that it would be better for an attorney not to place such advertising matter on his envelopes and to leave advertising of such nature to the Chamber of Commerce and to business institutions. While none of the Canons of Ethics are violated, nevertheless advertising of this character on an attorney's envelopes or his letterheads tends to demean an attorney and his profession. (9-0.)

Tex. Comm. On Professional Ethics, Op. 175 (1958)