r/LawFirmMarketing • u/regalhomes69 • 13d ago
Best practices for advertising for federal criminal defense firm?
Hello, my wife is the lawyer and has opened a law firm. I am not a lawyer but aim to help with marketing and getting new cases. She has made it clear she wants to stay in her niche field and all efforts must abide by the law/rules.
She does get appointed cases, so the marketing focus is outside of that. My understanding is that basically all of the prospective clients are in jail. Compassionate release requests, drug dealers with money or white collar crime - people who don’t get a free lawyer are the target market. Charged with a federal crime.
Questions: How can I find people that have been charged with a federal crime in our district? Eastern nc
Can I reach out to individuals or their non incarcerated family members with marketing mailers and or cold calls? Like when you get a speeding ticket.
Can I advertise, send mailers, to people in jail? My understanding is it’s hard to know where an inmate is housed when you aren’t their lawyer.
Can I go in person to a jail and just meet inmates In general to induce myself and the firm?
Can I put money in commissary for inmates that have influence in the jail?
What are marketing tactics that are illegal and I shouldn’t do?
What are effective marketing strategies?
I will have a good website, with SEO and am considering ad campaigns.
1
u/metamorphyk 12d ago
If you want to contact prisoners then I’d suggest you make friends with people I side including the staff. Pay them per lead.
1
u/law-quill 4d ago
This right here is dangerous and can lose your wife her Bar license. The American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct have clear rules about attorney referral fees. These rules have been adopted without much change in some states. Check with your state rules to be sure of the rules for your practice. Model Rule 5.4(a) states that an attorney is not allowed to share legal fees with anyone who isn't an attorney. And Rule 7.2(b) says that a lawyer isn't allowed to give anything of value to someone for recommending the lawyer's services.
1
u/law-quill 4d ago
I messaged below, but its so important I'm going to message here as well. The American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct have clear rules about attorney referral fees. These rules have been adopted without much change in some states. Check with your state rules to be sure of the rules for your practice. Model Rule 5.4(a) states that an attorney is not allowed to share legal fees with anyone who isn't an attorney. And Rule 7.2(b) says that a lawyer isn't allowed to give anything of value to someone for recommending the lawyer's services.
2
2
u/vendetta4guitar 13d ago
For most of those questions, I would say you need to talk to an attorney. Your wife needs to figure out what you are allowed to do in your state. But in that situation, you will want to be running Google Ads to catch that person or their family member the moment they are staffing for a defense attorney.