Legal Marketing and Ethics for Websites and Seminars

More so than almost any other profession, the legal field is one which is bound by a large number of regulations and ethical rules. Obviously, no one wants to risk being sanctioned, much less disbarred as a result of unethical conduct and new lawyers just starting their own private practices for the first time must be especially careful to avoid crossing any lines which could place their licensure or their reputation at risk. One area where there are some ethical concerns is legal marketing.
It's almost hard to believe now, but it's only been since the late 70s that law firms have been given a relatively free hand to market their services to potential clients (the pivotal decisions having been handed down by the US Supreme Court in the cases of Bates v. State Bar of Arizona and Ohralik v. Ohio Bar Association). The US Supreme Court rules blanket bans on advertising by lawyers and law firms (Bates v. State Bar of Arizona) while ruling that states may enact bans on the solicitation of new clients in person (Ohralik v. Ohio Bar Association). There have since been rulings that law firms may use direct mail to solicit business, though state bars have also weighed in on the topic, so lawyers should always find out what is permissible in their state.
There are now in-house marketing departments in place at most larger law firms and even smaller firms and sole proprietorships engage in some forms of marketing and advertising. The forms of advertising which are now the most common other than traditional print and broadcast media are the web, through seminars and other public speaking engagements and through law firm networks. Since all of these marketing efforts involve a beckoning of potential clients, they are subject to state bar ethics regulations and it is up to every lawyer to be aware of what the applicable regulations are.
One growing area of legal marketing is social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, given the rapid growth of social media and social networking; there is now even a social network operated by the American Bar Association. However, it is through the primary websites of law firms that the bulk of their online marketing takes place. Most state bars have regulations in place which bar the use of misleading domain names, though this is usually less of an issue.
What is important for law firms to know is best practices for reaching out to potential clients through their websites. A "Contact Us" page as well as lawyer biographies which include email addresses for these lawyers are considered to be best practices at present. However, posting intake forms directly on the firm's website is becoming more common and at least as of now, this is seen as permissible (and is in fact a good idea for law firms seeking new business).
In many states, there are rules about the solicitation of business at seminars and other events. While the goal is to network and find new business either directly or by referral, it should be noted that at least in some states, the state bar association permits solicitation only once the lawyer has established a personal or professional relationship with the potential client; make sure you know and comply with your state bar's rules regarding in-person solicitation before attempting to drum up new business directly in this manner. However, what is generally permissible is to make business cards or brochures available either by request or by leaving marketing materials on a table for attendees to take at their discretion.

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