Supreme Court Rules - Rule 4 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Rules of Professional Conduct: Information About Legal Services - Communication of Fields of Practice and Specialization

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Supreme Court Rules

		Section/Rule:	4- 7. 4
Subject:	Rule 4 - Rules Governing the Missouri Bar and the Judiciary - Rules of Professional Conduct	Publication / Adopted Date:	October 16, 1991
Topic:	Information About Legal Services - Communication of Fields of Practice and Specialization	Revised / Effective Date:	July 1, 2007

RULE 4-7.4: COMMUNICATION OF FIELDS OF PRACTICE AND SPECIALIZATION

A lawyer may communicate the fact that the lawyer does or does not practice in particular fields of law. Any such communication shall conform to the requirements of Rule 4-7.1. Except as provided in Rule 4-7.4(a) and (b), a lawyer shall not state or imply that the lawyer is a specialist unless the communication contains a disclaimer that neither the Supreme Court of Missouri nor The Missouri Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations.

(a) A lawyer admitted to engage in patent practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office may use the designation "patent attorney" or a substantially similar designation;

(b) A lawyer engaged in admiralty practice may use the designation "admiralty," "proctor in admiralty" or a substantially similar designation.

(Adopted Aug. 7, 1985, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended Oct. 16, 1991; amended March 1, 2007, eff. July 1, 2007.)

COMMENT

[1] Rule 4-7.4 permits a lawyer to indicate areas of practice in communications about the lawyer's services; for example, in a telephone directory or other advertising. If a lawyer practices only in certain fields, or will not accept matters except in such fields, the lawyer is permitted so to indicate.

[2] Recognition of specialization in patent matters is a matter of long-established policy of the Patent and Trademark Office. Designation of admiralty practice has a long historical tradition associated with maritime commerce and the federal courts.

[3] The second sentence of this Rule 4-7.4 has been added to the ABA Model Rule in order to ensure that any field-of-practice advertising complies with the general rule concerning communications about lawyers' services.