Can a law firm run a booth at a county fair to sell simple wills?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 1985. Ask about yours and see what the current Washington Rules of Professional Conduct say for your facts, with citations.
Plain-English summary
The committee was asked whether a law firm could set up a booth at a county fair to sell simple wills. It concluded that nothing in the Code of Professional Responsibility or the Rules of Professional Conduct prohibits a law firm from doing so.
Currency note
This opinion was issued in 1985, before the 2006 revisions to the Washington Rules of Professional Conduct. Subsequent rule amendments, later opinions, and court decisions on commercial speech 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 Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance.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: Can a law firm sell simple wills from a booth at a county fair?
A: The committee said yes. It found nothing in the Code of Professional Responsibility or the Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibits a firm from setting up a county-fair booth to sell simple wills.
Q: Did the committee place any condition on the booth?
A: The opinion as reproduced states only that nothing prohibits the booth; it does not set out additional conditions.
Background and rules framework
The committee did not cite a rule by number. It read both the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Rules of Professional Conduct and found no provision prohibiting a county-fair booth for selling simple wills. The advertising and solicitation rules that would govern such activity are now found in Washington RPC 7.1 through 7.3 and the corresponding Model Rules.
Citations and references
Rules of Professional Conduct:
- The opinion cites no rule by number. It found nothing in the Code of Professional Responsibility or the Rules of Professional Conduct prohibiting the described booth (advertising and solicitation now governed by RPC 7.1 through 7.3 / Model Rules 7.1 through 7.3).
See also
- WSBA Ethics Op. 847: direct-mail advertising and free seminars
- WSBA Ethics Op. 904: mailing brochures to prospective mediation clients
Source
- Landing page: https://ao.wsba.org/print.aspx?ID=25
Original opinion text
Reproduced from the official source for research purposes. The linked source is authoritative.
Advisory Opinion: 914
Year Issued: 1985
RPC(s):
Subject: Booth at county fair for simple wills
The Committee was of the opinion that there is nothing in the Code of Professional Responsibility or the Rules of Professional Conduct which prohibits a law firm from setting up a booth at a county fair for the purpose of selling simple wills.
What do the rules say today, for your facts?
This opinion is from 1985. Ezel checks the current Washington Rules of Professional Conduct against your situation and cites the rules it relies on.
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