Lawyer ad rules streamlined for greater clarity: disciplinary fees also increased by the Supreme Court's action.

Lawyers who advertise have more freedom about images and pictures they can show in their ads, and attorneys who are disciplined face higher administrative costs--although not as high as The Florida wanted--under rule amendments approved by the Supreme Court.

The court on May .20 acted on the amendments to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar filed by the Bar early last year. Amendment to the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar, case no. SC03-705.

"The large number of proposals in the instant petition demonstrates that the Bar has expended a great deal of time, thought, and effort in reviewing these rules and determining where the rules needed to be clarified, reorganized, or changed," the Court said in the unanimous per curiam opinion. "We thank the Bar for its dedicated and diligent efforts in this undertaking."

The entire opinion, along with all of the approved rule amendments, can be found on the court's Web site at www.flcourts.org. A summary of the approved rule amendments also has been posted on the sunEthics Web site, which covers Florida-related and other ethical issues, at www.sunethics.com/ news_item_14.htm.

"The advertising rules are very important because they expand and clarify what is permissible in advertisements, particularly television," said Bar Counsel Tony Boggs of the rule amendments. "Most changes are to better organize and clarify the rules."

Other amendments affect the use of parol (word of mouth) evidence in discipline cases, the timing of payment of disciplinary costs and restitution, when suspended or disbarred attorneys can work for lawyers they used to supervise, and provide guidance on setting costs for clients.

The advertising amendments, proposed by the Standing Committee on Advertising and the Board of Governors, represented an attempt by the Bar to streamline and simplify the regulations, making them easier for Bar members to follow. Their court approval comes as the advertising rules are again becoming a high profile issue.

President-elect Kelly Overstreet Johnson has appointed a special committee to review the advertising rules. And the Florida House passed a bill this year banning advertisements that would solicit a potential client to file a lawsuit. Although not taken up in the Senate, the bill sponsor, Rep. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, has promised to reintroduce it next year and Senate leaders have said they would favor a bill restricting lawyer ads.

The court-approved amendments delete, in Rules...