Court suspends Web ad enforcement.

The Florida Supreme Court has agreed with the Bar Board of Governors and ordered a suspension of Bar advertising rules that affect lawyer and law firm Web sites until July 1.

The court last November 19 issued its revised opinion in In Re: Amendments to Rules Regulating The Florida Bar-Rule 4-7.6, Computer Accessed Communications, case no. SC 08-1181. In that opinion, the court said that Rule 4-7.2 would apply to lawyer and law firm Web sites, effective January 1, 2010.

The court opinion meant that lawyers and law firms, on their Web sites, would not be able to refer to past results, use testimonials from clients, or characterize the quality of their legal services--items included on virtually all attorney sites.

At its December meeting, the Board of Governors voted for a six-month enforcement moratorium on the rule to give time to lawyers to be informed about the change and bring their Web sites into conformance.

Bar Executive Director John F. Harkness, Jr., wrote to the court after the meeting, telling it of the board's action. He noted in the letter than any lawyer intentionally misrepresenting information on his or her Web site would still be subject to prosecution under Rule...