When is a lawyer allowed to speak to someone who has been injured? In this video, Austin personal injury attorney Aaron Allison explains lawyer solicitation. For more information call (512) 474-8346.
Video Transcription:
The rule about approaching an attorney – here’s the ethical rule. An attorney may not solicit a case, meaning he can’t find out that someone was in an auto accident and approach that person to be represented. That’s solicitation, and it is illegal and it is barred by the ethics rules, the State Bar of Texas. An injured person has to approach the attorney first, either send an email or a phone communication or come by and meet with the attorney. They have to approach the attorney first or, in the event that they may be incapacitated or hurt in such a degree that they can’t do that, an immediate family member, a parent, spouse, child may approach the attorney. Then the attorney may engage them. I do obtain cases from the state bar of Texas they refer cases because I’m on their list of practitioners, and in those situations when the State Bar of Texas sends a potential client to me, I’ll engage with them. Or they may send me a notification that this person is looking for an attorney and I will contact them. I will treat them as if they are a close friend or family member who is trying to get the injured person to me. Outside of those situations, it is illegal and unethical for an attorney to approach an injured person for representation. It’s called solicitation. For more information, go to AaronAllisonLawFirm.com.
