A few days ago, a question appeared on the Solosez Listserve, inquiring whether a promotional strategy – whereby individuals referred to a firm by an existing client would be entered into a drawing for a gift card upon coming in for a free consultation – passed ethical muster.
Happily, everyone who responded recognized that the strategy violates legal ethics prohibitions on giving something of value in exchange for a referral. Or in colloquial terms, lawyers can’t buy clients whether the currency comes in the form of dollars, gift cards or meals. Here are some of ethics decisions that I founded up on this point.