Lawyer advertising.

I would disagree with Advertising Task Force 2004 member Hal Lewis who recently said he is under the impression that criminal defendants "have been told they need a lawyer, so why do they need a letter" during a debate on whether to extend the 30-day ban on direct mail solicitation to criminal cases, as reported the August 15 issue of the News.

Who tells them? The police? Don't bet on it. One should not assume that Miranda warnings are read in each and every case, because they are not.

Personal injury cases are not similar to criminal cases, in any aspect. In criminal cases the defendant has an immediate problem that may result in their incarceration for perhaps months or years. No such issue exists in a personal injury case. Immediate action is called for in a criminal case. There are potential witnesses, who may be reluctant, who might disappear. These witnesses should be interviewed as soon as possible.

In the all-too-common DUI case, a driver has 10 days from the date of arrest to file a...