Every few days I get an offer to buy leads for potential clients. Since it is predicted that most people, if they do not now shop exclusively online, will do so in the next few years, getting part of the e-commerce action is probably necessary to stay in business for those lawyers who retail their services to consumers.
A few years ago, as chief disciplinary counsel, I had the privilege of litigating the first case involving a lead-seller called Total Attorneys in a case before the Statewide Grievance Committee. Complaints against Total Attorneys were filed in 47 states claiming that its program violated Rule 7.2(c). The rule prohibits paying anyone to “recommend” a lawyer’s services. Doing so is also a felony in Connecticut. See statutes 51-86 and 51-87. (Neither the rule nor the statutes apply to lawyers recommending other lawyers.) Because Connecticut has a rocket docket for lawyers’ discipline, we went first.
