Opinion 1475

The Committee reviewed your inquiry concerning the issue about solicitation and prospective clients. First, the Committee was of the opinion that your law firm may send written invitations to seminars to clients and non-clients. You may follow-up these invitations with telephone calls to non-clients so long as those calls do not involve the solicitation of legal business. Similarly, if non-clients attend those seminars, your firm may not telephone them with the purpose of soliciting legal business.

If a person attending the seminar who is not formerly a client asks questions after the seminar, your firm may not by telephone solicit legal business unless the conversation establishes a lawyer/client relationship. Finally, your firm may telephone new businesses opening in the area so long as that call does not involve direct solicitation of clients.

Advisory Opinions are provided for the education of the Bar and reflect the opinion of the Committee on Professional Ethics (CPE) or its predecessors. Advisory Opinions are provided pursuant to the authorization granted by the Board of Governors, but are not individually approved by the Board and do not reflect the official position of the Bar association. Laws other than the Washington State Rules of Professional Conduct may apply to the inquiry. The Committee's answer does not include or opine about any other applicable law other than the meaning of the Rules of Professional Conduct.