The American Lawyer quoted Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner David Siegal in an article about new American Bar Association guidance on how lawyers can publicly discuss litigation victories.
The American Lawyer report discussed a March 6 opinion by the ABA’s standing committee on ethics addressing circumstances under which lawyers may publicly disclose information concerning a client matter or representation, even if the information is already part of the public record. Among other things, the ruling emphasizes that, if done with client consent, lawyers can, consistent with ethical rules, discuss or write about instances in which they have secured the dismissal of criminal charges, as it serves a client’s interests to publicly discuss those victories, The American Lawyer reported.
White-collar criminal defense victories also have particular potential for client development, the report said, and quoted Siegal, who successfully beat back civil and criminal fraud claims against Wall Street financier Benjamin Wey last year, and then won a related victory for Wey’s sister this month.
“Winning this case has definitely gotten me calls I wouldn’t have gotten before,” Siegal said.
Soon after the Justice Department dropped its case against Wey last August, Siegal’s phone began ringing with prospective clients, he said. ... He’s also been invited to speak frequently at events, including nationally. “It’s not as if business has exploded, but there are intangible ways in which this win helps. People’s confidence in referring matters has grown,” he said.
Excerpted from The American Lawyer. To read the full article, click here. (Subscription required)